# Powder Toy vs Elemental Box

The clearest difference is price: Elemental Box at Free against Powder Toy's $1.99. Elemental Box also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.1) and review sentiment (72% vs 40%). Powder Toy's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Elemental Box is free to download; Powder Toy costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Elemental Box holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Powder Toy has 345 ratings behind it against 63, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Powder Toy's written reviews are positive against 72% of Elemental Box's.

Powder Toy ships an update every 6 weeks, Elemental Box every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Powder Toy | Elemental Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.1 (345 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powder-toy/id764674591/reviews) | **[4.2 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental-box/id1269914616/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **345** | 63 |
| Positive reviews | 40.1% of reviews | **72.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 3 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marcin Chojnacki](https://appshunter.io/developer/764674594) | [DAN-BALL](https://appshunter.io/developer/348592290) |

## 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


### Elemental Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental-box/id1269914616)

Engage in a sandbox game focused on realistic physical simulations. Experiment with various shapes and materials to observe their unique interactions and transformations. This app offers a creative space for exploration and discovery through physics.

**Highlights:** Physical simulation, Material interaction, Shape manipulation, Sandbox gameplay, Real-time physics

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Powder Toy free?

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

### Is Elemental Box free?

Elemental Box is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Powder Toy or Elemental Box?

Elemental Box is rated higher. Powder Toy averages 3.1 out of 5 from 345 ratings, while Elemental Box averages 4.2 from 63 ratings.

### Do Powder Toy or Elemental Box have ads?

Elemental Box shows ads; Powder Toy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Powder Toy or Elemental Box?

Powder Toy ships an update every 6 weeks, and Elemental Box every 4 months. Most recently, Powder Toy was updated on October 20, 2026 and Elemental Box on October 20, 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.*