Make a Bonsai vs FathomVerse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Make a Bonsai
Design and cultivate your own virtual bonsai tree from an infinite variety of species and starting points. Experiment with trimming techniques, learn about bonsai history, and even visit real bonsai gardens.
- Create virtual bonsai trees
- Choose from multiple species
- Trim branches for unique designs
- Select pots for display
- View in virtual collection
- Learn bonsai tradition facts
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Make your own virtual bonsai tree! Choose your species: juniper, maple or ficus. Pick from an endless variety of starting trees. Trim branches to create your own individual work of art. Pick the perfect pot, then view it in the virtual collection! There is an infinite variety of trees to start with. No two are ever the same, so your creativity is always challenged anew! Experiment with different styles of trimming, and learn fun facts about the rich, centuries-long bonsai tradition. Best of all, cap off your bonsai experience with a visit to the real bonsai trees at the Ordway Gardens in Como Park, St. Paul, Minnesota!
FathomVerse
Explore the ocean world through an immersive game that trains AI for scientific research. Discover and identify over 50 groups of ocean animals using real imagery collected by researchers. Contribute to science while playing minigames, completing quests, and earning badges.
- Play minigames with real ocean imagery
- Identify over 50 groups of ocean animals
- Save and share favorite images
- Participate in quests and earn badges
- Unlock awards for gameplay contributions
- Customize soundscape with Ocean Radio
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The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet, yet most of the life within it remains undiscovered. FathomVerse is changing that, one dive at a time. FathomVerse invites everyone to take part in real ocean exploration and discovery. Through interactive mini-games, FathomNauts identify animals in real underwater photos and contribute to a growing library of labeled images that helps scientists catalog and understand marine life. With FathomVerse, you can: - Be among the first to review real imagery collected in the ocean. - Learn to identify more than 70 groups of marine animals. - Help train AI models by labeling animals in underwater images. - Participate in quests, earn badges, and track your scientific contributions. - Save and share your favorite ocean images in a personal gallery. Whether you're a lifelong ocean lover or simply curious about what lives in the depths, FathomVerse makes it easy to contribute to meaningful scientific research.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: FathomVerse at 4.7 against Make a Bonsai's 3.6. FathomVerse also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 55%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 19 months). Make a Bonsai's advantage is iOS requirement (10.1 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
FathomVerse holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 92 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Make a Bonsai's written reviews are positive against 86% of FathomVerse's.
Make a Bonsai ships an update every 19 months, FathomVerse every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Make a Bonsai | FathomVerse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (26 ratings) | 4.7 (92 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 26 | 92 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.1 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 284 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bust Out Solutions, Inc. | Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute |
Customer experience
Make a Bonsai
FathomVerse
In-app purchases
Make a Bonsai
No in-app purchases
FathomVerse
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Make a Bonsai free?
Is FathomVerse free?
Which has better reviews, Make a Bonsai or FathomVerse?
Do Make a Bonsai or FathomVerse have ads?
Which is updated more often, Make a Bonsai or FathomVerse?
Other comparisons
