# Plants vs. Zombies™ vs Playdead's INSIDE

The clearest difference is ads: Playdead's INSIDE at none against Plants vs. Zombies™'s shown. Playdead's INSIDE also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Plants vs. Zombies™'s advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (940K vs 31K). On price, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plants vs. Zombies™ sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Playdead's INSIDE sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Plants vs. Zombies™ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plants vs. Zombies™ has 940K ratings behind it against 31K, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Plants vs. Zombies™ | Playdead's INSIDE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (940K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plants-vs-zombies/id893677096/reviews)** | [4.4 (31K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playdeads-inside/id1201642309/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **940K** | 31K |
| Positive reviews | — | 77.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | #72 |
| Size | 172 MB | 705 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Electronic Arts](https://appshunter.io/developer/284800461) | [Playdead](https://appshunter.io/developer/481629893) |

## What reviewers say

### Plants vs. Zombies™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plants-vs-zombies/id893677096)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Action, #87 Top Free · Puzzle, #165 Top Free · Games (US App Store)

Defend your home from a horde of fun-loving zombies using a variety of powerful plants. Strategize your defenses across 50 challenging levels, each with unique zombie types and environmental obstacles. Earn new plants and power-ups to become the ultimate zombie-zapping master.

**Highlights:** 49 zombie-zapping plants, 26 types of zombies, 50 fun-dead levels, Adventure and Survival modes, Unlockable plants and power-ups, Collect coins and earn achievements

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crazy Dave's Lost Wallet | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sunflower's Golden Chest | $0.99 | one-time |
| Marigold's Coin Pot | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stinky's Secret Stash | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dr. Zomboss’ Piggy Bank | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ads Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| Digger's Diamond Mine | $3.99 | one-time |
| Whirly-Blurry Speed Up Stash | $3.99 | one-time |
| Whirly-Blurry Speed Up Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Craaazy Speed Up Stash | $5.99 | one-time |
| Craaazy Speed Up Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fantastic gameplay
- 💎 Addictive and engaging
- 🕹️ Nostalgic classic
- 🌱 Unique and creative plant/zombie mechanics
- 🎨 Charming art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads and monetization
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Progress resets and lost data
- 🤯 Frustrating ad-related issues (no skip option, crashes)
- 🤔 Questionable changes from original game

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes after ads
- Survival mode progress lost
- Purchased content not restoring
- Zen Garden and other features not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Restore original gameplay and features
- Reduce ads or offer ad-free option
- Improve stability and prevent progress loss
- Add more levels, mini-games, and content
- Improve customer support and bug fixes


### Playdead's INSIDE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playdeads-inside/id1201642309)

**Currently charting:** #72 Top Free · Adventure (US App Store)

Embark on a dark, narrative-driven adventure in this critically acclaimed indie platformer. Solve challenging puzzles and experience intense action within a moody, unsettling atmosphere. This award-winning game is known for its stunning art style and ambient soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Narrative-driven adventure, Challenging puzzles, Intense action, Moody art style, Ambient soundtrack, Unsettling atmosphere

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| INSIDE full game | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Stunning graphics and atmosphere
- 🧠 Clever and challenging puzzles
- 🎨 Unique art style
- 🎢 Thrilling and suspenseful gameplay
- 🔍 Intriguing and mysterious story

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Game is too short
- 🤔 Ending is confusing or unsatisfying
- 💰 Game is overpriced
- 🤖 Some controls can be finicky
- 📱 Compatibility issues on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes or freezes
- Progress not saving properly

**Requested features**

- Longer gameplay or additional levels
- More explanation or closure for the story
- Controller support
- Lower price point


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Plants vs. Zombies™ free?

Plants vs. Zombies™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Playdead's INSIDE free?

Playdead's INSIDE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Plants vs. Zombies™ or Playdead's INSIDE?

Plants vs. Zombies™ is rated higher. Plants vs. Zombies™ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 940K ratings, while Playdead's INSIDE averages 4.4 from 31K ratings.

### Do Plants vs. Zombies™ or Playdead's INSIDE have ads?

Plants vs. Zombies™ shows ads; Playdead's INSIDE does not.

### Which is updated more often, Plants vs. Zombies™ or Playdead's INSIDE?

Plants vs. Zombies™ ships an update every 2 months, and Playdead's INSIDE every 2 months. Most recently, Plants vs. Zombies™ was updated on October 21, 2026 and Playdead's INSIDE on October 21, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Plants vs. Zombies™ or Playdead's INSIDE?

Plants vs. Zombies™ currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and Playdead's INSIDE at #72. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*