# The Elf Hunter vs Buddy Planet

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Buddy Planet at none against The Elf Hunter's 4. Buddy Planet also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Elf Hunter sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per year. Buddy Planet asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Elf Hunter ships an update every 2 months, Buddy Planet every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Elf Hunter | Buddy Planet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elf-hunter/id6756759084/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 245 MB | 585 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jim Douglas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862656098) | [Team Royal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1171376878) |

## What reviewers say

### The Elf Hunter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elf-hunter/id6756759084)

Explore your home in augmented reality to find and capture playful elves. Use stealth to sneak up on them before they vanish. Collect rewards and enjoy family fun, especially during the holidays.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality elf placement, Stealth-based gameplay, 8 unique elf characters, LiDAR support for realistic hiding, Collect cake slices, Free-to-play with optional subscription

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Elf Hunter | $0.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| 6x Game Tickets | $0.99 | one-time |
| 18x Game Tickets | $1.99 | one-time |


### Buddy Planet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-planet/id6761938504)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Elf Hunter free?

The Elf Hunter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Buddy Planet free?

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

### Do The Elf Hunter or Buddy Planet have ads?

Neither The Elf Hunter nor Buddy Planet shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Elf Hunter or Buddy Planet?

The Elf Hunter ships an update every 2 months, and Buddy Planet every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Elf Hunter was updated on October 24, 2026 and Buddy Planet on October 9, 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.*