# Sand & Sky vs Pixel Creator

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sand & Sky at none against Pixel Creator's 1. Sand & Sky also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). Pixel Creator's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixel Creator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sand & Sky asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Sand & Sky against 5.0 for Pixel Creator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Sand & Sky ships an update every 5 weeks, Pixel Creator every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sand & Sky | Pixel Creator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-and-sky/id6761145704/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-creator-sandbox/id6779839849/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Nicholas Bianchino](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883398265) | [云飞 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882172393) |

## What reviewers say

### Sand & Sky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sand-and-sky/id6761145704)

Experiment with physics and materials in a creative sandbox. Drop, mix, and ignite various elements to discover surprising interactions and build unique creations. Enjoy a zen-like experience with realistic simulations and a variety of tools.

**Highlights:** Realistic fluid simulation, Gravity manipulation, Wind tool, Adjustable brush and speed, Undo and clear functions, Material interaction guide

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pixel Creator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-creator-sandbox/id6779839849)

Explore a 2D physics sandbox with over 430 elements, including liquids, life, and machines. Create living ecosystems, trigger chain reactions, and unlock hundreds of recipes. Play fully offline with no ads or data collection.

**Highlights:** 430+ elements and 14 categories, Realistic physics engine, Living ecosystems and chain reactions, Pre-made scenes, Discovery Codex with recipes, Offline play, Goals and challenges

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sand & Sky free?

Sand & Sky is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pixel Creator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sand & Sky or Pixel Creator?

Sand & Sky and Pixel Creator are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Sand & Sky or Pixel Creator have ads?

Sand & Sky shows ads; Pixel Creator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sand & Sky or Pixel Creator?

Sand & Sky ships an update every 5 weeks, and Pixel Creator every 2 days. Most recently, Sand & Sky was updated on October 31, 2026 and Pixel Creator on October 31, 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.*