# StareMaster vs Tropical Life

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tropical Life at none against StareMaster's 1. Tropical Life also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). StareMaster's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 days). On price, rating, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StareMaster sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tropical Life asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for StareMaster against 5.0 for Tropical Life. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

StareMaster ships an update every 2 days, Tropical Life every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StareMaster | Tropical Life |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staremaster/id733342409/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tropical-life/id6757161077/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 89 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Magnate Interactive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/303058770) | [Orange Peel Productions, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864963533) |

## What reviewers say

### StareMaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staremaster/id733342409)

Test your willpower in a digital staring contest. Use your device's camera to lock eyes with animated opponents and avoid blinking to win. Compete in different modes, challenge friends, and climb leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Real-time face tracking, Animated 3D opponents, Versus mode, Endless Stare-a-thon mode, Multiple difficulty levels, Game Center leaderboards and achievements, On-device processing for privacy

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StareMaster Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### Tropical Life

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tropical-life/id6757161077)

Create and manage your own vibrant underwater world. Feed your fish, grow aquatic plants, and decorate your tank to bring a peaceful tropical aquarium to life on your device.

**Highlights:** Virtual aquarium simulation, Feed and care for fish, Unlock and customize decorations, Grow aquatic plants, Calming gameplay, Vibrant tropical art

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StareMaster free?

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

### Is Tropical Life free?

Tropical Life is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, StareMaster or Tropical Life?

StareMaster and Tropical Life are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do StareMaster or Tropical Life have ads?

StareMaster shows ads; Tropical Life does not.

### Which is updated more often, StareMaster or Tropical Life?

StareMaster ships an update every 2 days, and Tropical Life every 4 days. Most recently, StareMaster was updated on November 1, 2026 and Tropical Life 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.*