# Balcony Lab vs Thrive Merge

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.

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

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Balcony Lab | Thrive Merge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Size | 103 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Koichi Iwasaki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1308795626) | [Rafael Ton](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893420121) |

## What reviewers say

### Balcony Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balcony-lab/id6755426670)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thrive Merge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrive-merge/id6772612809)

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Energy Drink | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Gym & Fitness | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Wellness Retreat | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Sports Academy | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Gems | $7.99 | one-time |
| Wellness Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*