# Specimen86 vs Daphnia

The clearest difference is price: Specimen86 at Free against Daphnia's $3.99. Daphnia's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On update cadence, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Specimen86 is free to download; Daphnia costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Specimen86 ships an update every 6 days, Daphnia every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Specimen86 | Daphnia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Size | 302 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SAYACHI-MARU GAMES](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809076905) | [HOBEEC](https://appshunter.io/developer/465035845) |

## What reviewers say

### Specimen86

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/specimen86/id6754185315)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Daphnia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daphnia-ecosystem-simulator/id6795031582)

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Specimen86 free?

Specimen86 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Daphnia free?

Daphnia costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Specimen86 or Daphnia have ads?

Specimen86 shows ads; Daphnia does not.

### Which is updated more often, Specimen86 or Daphnia?

Specimen86 ships an update every 6 days, and Daphnia every 5 days. Most recently, Specimen86 was updated on October 25, 2026 and Daphnia on October 25, 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.*