# Pocket Oasis vs Holy Mackerel

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Holy Mackerel at 100% against Pocket Oasis's 58%. Holy Mackerel also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.2). Pocket Oasis's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket Oasis sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Holy Mackerel sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Holy Mackerel holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Pocket Oasis's written reviews are positive against 100% of Holy Mackerel's.

Pocket Oasis ships an update every 3 weeks, Holy Mackerel fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Oasis | Holy Mackerel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-oasis-mobile/id6504909027/reviews) | **[4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holy-mackerel/id6572291924/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **13** |
| Positive reviews | 58.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 731 MB | 174 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [knit'n'purl game studio LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629088889) | [Kate Young](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759110751) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Oasis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-oasis-mobile/id6504909027)

Cultivate a serene virtual garden on your own balcony. Choose from a variety of plants and decorations to create a personalized oasis, influenced by real-world weather and climate data. Enjoy casual gameplay and unlock pets to join your tranquil space.

**Highlights:** Hand-painted 2.5D balcony simulation, Decorate 3 balconies in global cities, 36 unlockable plants with harvestable fruit, Name and repot plants with unlockable pots, 36 bespoke decorations, Day/night cycle impacting plant stats, Real-world weather and climate data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Full Game | $0.99 | one-time |


### Holy Mackerel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holy-mackerel/id6572291924)

Embark on a pixel art fishing adventure across diverse biomes. Master timing-based mechanics, upgrade gear, and discover unique fish, including the legendary Holy Mackerel. Engage with charming NPCs and enjoy a stylized, cartoonish world.

**Highlights:** Retro pixel art graphics, Explore diverse biomes, Unique fish in each biome, Timing-based fishing mechanics, Gear upgrades, Unlock new biomes, Interact with NPCs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporters pt1 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Supporters pt2 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Supporters pt3 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Supporters pt4 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Its Alive | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sun, Surf & Style Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Speed Tackle Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |
| Xmas 2024 Hat + Boat Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Plunders Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Bucket Full Of Clams | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very fun and entertaining
- 🎨 Great art style and visuals
- 💡 Unique features, stands out
- 💸 Not a cash grab, fair monetization
- 😌 Relaxing and time-killing gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 A bit grindy
- 🧊 Pop the ice blocks suck

**Reported bugs**

- Couple of glitches

**Requested features**

- Add an aquarium for passive income (like fish ponds)
- Add an inventory space to keep fish
- Allow players to choose which fish to sell
- A little fish zoo to keep fish in
- Fish hat cosmetic item


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Oasis free?

Pocket Oasis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Holy Mackerel free?

Holy Mackerel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Oasis or Holy Mackerel?

Holy Mackerel is rated higher. Pocket Oasis averages 4.2 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Holy Mackerel averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.

### Do Pocket Oasis or Holy Mackerel have ads?

Holy Mackerel shows ads; Pocket Oasis does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Oasis or Holy Mackerel?

Pocket Oasis ships an update every 3 weeks, and Holy Mackerel fortnightly. Most recently, Pocket Oasis was updated on November 4, 2026 and Holy Mackerel on November 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*