# Pomagotchi vs VirtualHamster

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pomagotchi at every 9 days against VirtualHamster's every 6 weeks. VirtualHamster's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pomagotchi sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and VirtualHamster sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pomagotchi ships an update every 9 days, VirtualHamster every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pomagotchi | VirtualHamster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomagotchi/id6759592794/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 903 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sean Dryden](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154389473) | [Ian Lander](https://appshunter.io/developer/1689920635) |

## What reviewers say

### Pomagotchi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomagotchi/id6759592794)

Care for a virtual Pomeranian that develops a unique personality based on your interactions. Enjoy mini-games, a cozy mystery, and personalized letters from your pet. The experience is private, on-device, and ad-free.

**Highlights:** Evolving pet personality, On-device AI for privacy, No death state or guilt, Interactive backyard and mini-games, Personalized letters and stories, Environmental and weather integration, Apple Watch and widget support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fluff Society Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| 5 Pom Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 13 Pom Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| 23 Pom Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 35 Pom Coins | $3.99 | one-time |
| 150 Pom Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| Puffy Posh Pom Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| P.O.M. Trust Fund | $49.99 | one-time |
| Beta Tester Pack | $74.99 | one-time |


### VirtualHamster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtualhamster/id6759629384)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pomagotchi free?

Pomagotchi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is VirtualHamster free?

VirtualHamster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Pomagotchi or VirtualHamster have ads?

Neither Pomagotchi nor VirtualHamster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pomagotchi or VirtualHamster?

Pomagotchi ships an update every 9 days, and VirtualHamster every 6 weeks. Most recently, Pomagotchi was updated on October 31, 2026 and VirtualHamster 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.*