# The Talking Shell vs XP Maker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: XP Maker at 98% against The Talking Shell's 55%. XP Maker also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (104 vs 9). The Talking Shell's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (6.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Talking Shell sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and XP Maker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

XP Maker holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XP Maker has 104 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of The Talking Shell's written reviews are positive against 98% of XP Maker's.

The Talking Shell ships an update monthly, XP Maker every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Talking Shell | XP Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-talking-shell/id684319281/reviews) | **[4.8 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xp-maker/id6475613532/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **104** |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **98.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 49 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RGSD](https://appshunter.io/developer/311358713) | [David Alvarez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1444697550) |

## What reviewers say

### The Talking Shell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-talking-shell/id684319281)

This entertainment app provides yes or no answers to your questions. Simply pull and release a cord to get a response. It's a fun way to get quick, simple answers.

**Highlights:** Ask yes/no questions, Pull cord for answers, Interactive gameplay, Simple interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Userdefined Answers | $0.99 | one-time |


### XP Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xp-maker/id6475613532)

Design unique pixel-art avatars with a vast selection of items and color variations. Easily create thousands of distinct character combinations and share your creations.

**Highlights:** Create pixel-art avatars, 14 item categories, Color variations, Thousands of combinations, Easy to use interface, Share creations

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Xp Maker Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Great for creating avatars
- ✨ Fun and entertaining
- 🤩 High quality app
- 💖 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios when downloading
- 🔒 Many features locked
- 💰 Some content behind paywall
- 💸 Microtransactions for customization
- 🚫 No skirts for free

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot delete a duo concept
- A tiny bug emerged

**Requested features**

- Add movement options (walking, running)
- Basketball app for NBA characters
- More poses for free
- Wallpaper options
- More hair options (anime/series)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Talking Shell free?

The Talking Shell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is XP Maker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Talking Shell or XP Maker?

XP Maker is rated higher. The Talking Shell averages 2.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while XP Maker averages 4.8 from 104 ratings.

### Do The Talking Shell or XP Maker have ads?

Neither The Talking Shell nor XP Maker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Talking Shell or XP Maker?

The Talking Shell ships an update monthly, and XP Maker every 3 months. Most recently, The Talking Shell was updated on September 29, 2026 and XP Maker on September 21, 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.*