# Backyard Splash vs NextPlay

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backyard Splash at none against NextPlay's 3. Backyard Splash also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). NextPlay's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NextPlay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Backyard Splash asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backyard Splash ships an update every 5 months, NextPlay weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backyard Splash | NextPlay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextplay-game-info-and-picker/id6760037398/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 99 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adknown](https://appshunter.io/developer/1243054661) | [Brandon Rader](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875390766) |

## What reviewers say

### Backyard Splash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-splash/id6746761665)

**In-app purchases:** none


### NextPlay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextplay-game-info-and-picker/id6760037398)

Discover new games, manage your backlog, and get personalized recommendations. This app helps you decide what to play next with AI-powered suggestions and organized lists.

**Highlights:** AI-powered game recommendations, Track games across platforms, Discover new and upcoming games, Organize gaming backlog, Shareable gaming profile, Watch game trailers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| English | $0.99 | per month |
| English | $5.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backyard Splash free?

Backyard Splash is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NextPlay free?

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

### Do Backyard Splash or NextPlay have ads?

Backyard Splash shows ads; NextPlay does not.

### Which is updated more often, Backyard Splash or NextPlay?

Backyard Splash ships an update every 5 months, and NextPlay weekly. Most recently, Backyard Splash was updated on October 30, 2026 and NextPlay on October 24, 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.*