# Powder Toy vs Sandbox XL

The clearest difference is price: Sandbox XL at Free against Powder Toy's $1.99. Sandbox XL also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.0) and review sentiment (61% vs 39%). Powder Toy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown).

Sandbox XL is free to download; Powder Toy costs $1.99 up front. Sandbox XL sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Powder Toy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sandbox XL holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Powder Toy has 373 ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Powder Toy's written reviews are positive against 61% of Sandbox XL's.

Powder Toy ships an update every 6 weeks, Sandbox XL every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Powder Toy | Sandbox XL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.0 (373 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powder-toy/id764674591/reviews) | **[3.7 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-xl/id1255983928/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **373** | 53 |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews | **60.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marcin Chojnacki](https://appshunter.io/developer/764674594) | [Raffaele Amuso](https://appshunter.io/developer/912157295) |

## What reviewers say

### Powder Toy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powder-toy/id764674591)

Explore a 2D physics sandbox where you can build, create, and interact with nearly 100 different elements. Simulate complex systems, from atomic power plants to custom CPUs, by combining various materials, liquids, gases, and electronic components.

**Highlights:** 2D physics simulation, Nearly 100 elements, Build complex machines, Simulate air pressure and heat, Create realistic terrains, Electronic components

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sandbox XL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-xl/id1255983928)

Engage in a fun, physics-based sandbox game where you can interact with numerous elements like water, magma, and fire. Simulate natural phenomena to create volcanoes, lakes, and geysers, and enjoy experimenting with the laws of nature.

**Highlights:** Physics-based sandbox gameplay, Interact with water, magma, acid, sand, fire, gunpowder, oil, wood, Create volcanoes, lakes, seas, geysers, Simulate physical phenomena, Experiment with nature's laws

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ad | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Powder Toy free?

Powder Toy costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sandbox XL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Powder Toy or Sandbox XL?

Sandbox XL is rated higher. Powder Toy averages 3.0 out of 5 from 373 ratings, while Sandbox XL averages 3.7 from 53 ratings.

### Do Powder Toy or Sandbox XL have ads?

Sandbox XL shows ads; Powder Toy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Powder Toy or Sandbox XL?

Powder Toy ships an update every 6 weeks, and Sandbox XL every 3 weeks. Most recently, Powder Toy was updated on November 6, 2026 and Sandbox XL on November 2, 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.*