# MindDrop Crystal Orb vs HieroglyphStudio

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: MindDrop Crystal Orb at 14.0 against HieroglyphStudio's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

MindDrop Crystal Orb ships an update every 3 days, HieroglyphStudio every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MindDrop Crystal Orb | HieroglyphStudio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Size | 11 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cloyd Monce](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827918779) | [Peter Bowman](https://appshunter.io/developer/6807529716) |

## What reviewers say

### MindDrop Crystal Orb

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minddrop-crystal-orb/id6748907030)

**In-app purchases:** none


### HieroglyphStudio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hieroglyphstudio/id6807529713)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MindDrop Crystal Orb free?

MindDrop Crystal Orb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HieroglyphStudio free?

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

### Do MindDrop Crystal Orb or HieroglyphStudio have ads?

Neither MindDrop Crystal Orb nor HieroglyphStudio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MindDrop Crystal Orb or HieroglyphStudio?

MindDrop Crystal Orb ships an update every 3 days, and HieroglyphStudio every 2 days. Most recently, MindDrop Crystal Orb was updated on September 23, 2026 and HieroglyphStudio on September 14, 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.*