# My Planet Simulation vs Pico Islands

The clearest difference is rating: Pico Islands at 4.2 against My Planet Simulation's 3.7. Pico Islands also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (71% vs 60%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. My Planet Simulation sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Pico Islands sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pico Islands holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 220 and 131 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of My Planet Simulation's written reviews are positive against 71% of Pico Islands's.

My Planet Simulation ships an update every 3 months, Pico Islands every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | My Planet Simulation | Pico Islands |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (220 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-planet-simulation/id695687095/reviews) | **[4.2 (131 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pico-islands/id1476541055/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **220** | 131 |
| Positive reviews | 60.3% of reviews | **71.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Brandon Stecklein](https://appshunter.io/developer/498894252) | [BitSpree GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476541054) |

## What reviewers say

### My Planet Simulation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-planet-simulation/id695687095)

Control a planet and nurture a thriving population by managing sunlight and rain. This real-time simulation game requires daily check-ins to maintain optimal conditions for vegetation and prevent your people from starving or suffering from extreme weather. Can you reach a population of over one million?

**Highlights:** Virtual planet simulation, Population growth management, Sunlight and rain manipulation, Real-time gameplay, Vegetation level monitoring, Resource optimization

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Ape Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Advertising Removal | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast loading
- 👍 Cute and charming
- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 Planet dies when not playing
- 🕰️ Slow progression
- 🙄 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Planet disappears or turns into a square
- Supplies not reaching moon colony
- Inconsistent sun/water levels

**Requested features**

- Add more planets and solar system
- Introduce more god-like powers
- Implement a pause/save feature
- Improve graphics and animations
- Add more content and complexity


### Pico Islands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pico-islands/id1476541055)

Lead settlers to build a thriving medieval city, manage resources, and expand your empire across islands. Engage in trade, conquest, and technological discovery to achieve global domination or enjoy a peaceful simulation.

**Highlights:** Build and expand your city, Manage resources and production, Trade with neighbors, Conquer new islands, Research new technologies, Optimize building placement and transportation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy 20 Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy 110 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $13.99 | one-time |
| Buy 500 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Buy 1500 Gems | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Promising game
- 👍 Fun and addictive
- 👍 Charming game
- 👍 Interesting game
- 👍 Good game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Steep learning curve
- 🔋 High battery drain
- 🐛 Purchase records lost
- 🐛 Crashes when changing islands
- 🐛 Unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Forester lookups result in 404 errors
- Inability to undo 10 map limit
- Crashes when redeploying roads
- Inconsistent cookie consent management

**Requested features**

- Add map selection/replay
- Improve tutorial and documentation
- Implement graphics settings
- Add more content and progression
- Introduce multiplayer/competitive modes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is My Planet Simulation free?

My Planet Simulation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pico Islands free?

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

### Which has better reviews, My Planet Simulation or Pico Islands?

Pico Islands is rated higher. My Planet Simulation averages 3.7 out of 5 from 220 ratings, while Pico Islands averages 4.2 from 131 ratings.

### Do My Planet Simulation or Pico Islands have ads?

Both My Planet Simulation and Pico Islands show ads.

### Which is updated more often, My Planet Simulation or Pico Islands?

My Planet Simulation ships an update every 3 months, and Pico Islands every 5 weeks. Most recently, My Planet Simulation was updated on November 5, 2026 and Pico Islands on November 3, 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.*