Comparison

Balcony Lab vs Thrive Merge

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Balcony Lab

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Your balcony becomes a Tiny Lab that brings forth miraculous discoveries! Balcony Lab is a fresh, hyper-casual gardening simulation where growing and collecting become addictive. Will your usual vegetables suddenly mutate into a blue tomato or a golden eggplant!? Start your unique new species collection right in your hands! - Cultivation is Key! Experiments at Balcony Lab The real fun in this game is searching for the recipe for new species through trial and error! You won't stop at just watering. Your small actions will transform vegetables into never-before-seen forms. Adjust the amount and frequency of watering and fertilizing! Challenge yourself with consecutive planting in the same pot! Accumulate specific actions to evolve your crops! The cultivation process yields unpredictable results in this casual mutation simulation. - Complete the Codex! Collect 72 Unique Species The new crops you harvest are packed with collector elements to fill your codex! Discover all 60 types of mutant species, each with unique names and stories, such as the Lava Tomato with a bumpy surface or the Meadow Scent Broccoli, and aim for 100% completion. - One Hand OK! Easy to Play Anytime No complex operations necessary! It's a simple process of planting seeds and waiting for them to grow. This hyper-casual design allows you to quickly enjoy the game during short breaks or commutes. Start your own [Balcony Lab] today! Challenge yourself to complete the entire new species codex! Download Balcony Lab for FREE now!

About

Thrive Merge

Features
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Thrive Merge is a calm, beautiful merge puzzle with a wellness twist. Combine items to build your wellness hub, fulfill orders, and grow through four themed worlds - at your own relaxed pace, or against the clock when you want a challenge. MERGE & BUILD Combine items to discover higher tiers and furnish your wellness hub. FOUR WORLDS Holistic, Gym & Fitness, Wellness Retreat (Spa), and Sports Academy - each with its own chains, art, and feel. WELLNESS JOURNEY A relaxed, stress-free mode focused on progress and satisfying merges. DAILY CHALLENGES Three hand-tuned challenges a day (Easy / Medium / Hard) with timers, move limits, and real fail states. Clear the Hard one for an exclusive cosmetic. COLLECTIONS Discover and complete every chain across all worlds. SATISFYING FEEL Bouncy merges, particle bursts, and gentle motion designed to relax. Free to play. Optional ads and in-app purchases support development.

Screenshots

Balcony Lab4 screens
Thrive Merge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Balcony Lab at none against Thrive Merge's 9. Balcony Lab also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Thrive Merge sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Balcony Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Balcony Lab ships an update every 8 days, Thrive Merge every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Balcony Lab versus Thrive Merge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBalcony LabThrive Merge
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 8 days โ€” betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 โ€” better15.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size103 MB119 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperKoichi IwasakiRafael Ton

In-app purchases

None

Balcony Lab

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Thrive Merge

One-time9
  • Handful of Gems$0.99
  • Energy Drink$0.99
  • Starter Bundle$2.99
Show 6 more
  • Pouch of Gems$2.99
  • Unlock Gym & Fitness$2.99
  • Unlock Wellness Retreat$3.99
  • Unlock Sports Academy$4.99
  • Chest of Gems$7.99
  • Wellness Bundle$9.99

Questions

Is Balcony Lab free?
Balcony Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Thrive Merge free?
Thrive Merge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Balcony Lab or Thrive Merge have ads?
Both Balcony Lab and Thrive Merge show ads.
Which is updated more often, Balcony Lab or Thrive Merge?
Balcony Lab ships an update every 8 days, and Thrive Merge every 2 weeks. Most recently, Balcony Lab was updated on October 25, 2026 and Thrive Merge on October 25, 2026.

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