# Ecosystem vs Castles in the Sand

The clearest difference is rating: Ecosystem at 4.8 against Castles in the Sand's 4.0. Ecosystem also leads on ratings volume (5 vs 1). 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.

Ecosystem holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ecosystem has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Ecosystem ships an update every 10 days, Castles in the Sand every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ecosystem | Castles in the Sand |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ecosystem-idle-evolution/id6751442620/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castles-in-the-sand/id6767951967/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 474 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Romain Chauvire](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835141572) | [Nate Voorhies](https://appshunter.io/developer/367164193) |

## What reviewers say

### Ecosystem

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ecosystem-idle-evolution/id6751442620)

Guide the evolution of life from simple molecules to complex ecosystems. Discover hundreds of species, develop genetic traits, and transform diverse biomes in this educational and contemplative idle game.

**Highlights:** Evolve hundreds of species, Develop genetic traits, Create diverse biomes, Automatic resource production, Progressive gameplay, Educational and contemplative

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Castles in the Sand

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castles-in-the-sand/id6767951967)

Build intricate sandcastles on a dynamic beach where real water physics shape your creations. Protect your flag from the tide or manage water flow in challenging levels. Enjoy a peaceful, offline building experience with optional ads.

**Highlights:** Realistic water physics, Sand sculpting tools, Tide simulation, Twelve challenging levels, Free play mode, Offline gameplay, Synthesized sound design

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ecosystem free?

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

### Is Castles in the Sand free?

Castles in the Sand is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ecosystem or Castles in the Sand?

Ecosystem is rated higher. Ecosystem averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Castles in the Sand averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Ecosystem or Castles in the Sand have ads?

Neither Ecosystem nor Castles in the Sand shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ecosystem or Castles in the Sand?

Ecosystem ships an update every 10 days, and Castles in the Sand every 9 days. Most recently, Ecosystem was updated on October 30, 2026 and Castles in the Sand 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.*