The Gardener vs Malcong
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Gardener
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The Gardener – Catch the Fruit! Fast, cute, and perfect for Apple Watch: In The Gardener, you play as a cheerful gardener catching fruit falling from above—while garden objects bounce the fruit away and make its trajectory unpredictable. How to play: • Move the gardener using the Digital Crown or swipe gestures • Catch as many fruits as you can and beat your high score • It gets faster every round—stay focused! • Watch out for the golden fruit for extra points and a small bonus Highlights: • Short rounds—perfect for quick sessions • Arcade vibes inspired by Space Invaders—but with fruit • Charming sprites and a clean watch-friendly layout • Simple controls and instant fun Tap Start—and go for the high score!
Malcong
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Malcong is a little friend you hatch and care for on Apple Watch. Apple Watch is required for hatching, care, and growth. The iPhone companion lets you view your friend, growth records, garden, and collection. Tap your first egg three times on Apple Watch. Feed your friend, play together, and help it rest as you share time on your wrist. Watch it respond to your gentle touch. Discover six families and thirty-six evolution forms. Friends you have raised stay in your garden, where you can choose a companion to spend time with again. Your first egg and its growth are free. Optional additional eggs are purchased in the paired iPhone app. Each purchase grants one consumable egg and is not a subscription. The price is displayed before purchase. No account or login is required. Progress and eggs are stored on your devices. The in-app Start Over action preserves unused purchased eggs, but restoration after deleting the app or replacing your Watch is not guaranteed. Consumed eggs are not granted again. Requires an iPhone with iOS 17 or later and an Apple Watch with watchOS 10 or later. Privacy policy: https://echo-kindness.org/malcong/privacy/en/ Support: support@echo-kindness.org / +82-70-8949-8667
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Gardener at none against Malcong's 1. The Gardener also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Malcong's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Malcong sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Gardener asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Gardener ships an update monthly, Malcong every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Gardener | Malcong |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 105 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CARSTEN FREITAG | echokindness |
In-app purchases
The Gardener
No in-app purchases
Malcong
- One Egg$0.99









