# Doodle Alchemy vs Monster Lab

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Monster Lab at none against Doodle Alchemy's 6. Monster Lab also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 13 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Doodle Alchemy sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Monster Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

Doodle Alchemy ships an update every 13 months, Monster Lab every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Doodle Alchemy | Monster Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-alchemy/id913167692/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 143 MB | 233 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [BYRIL OOO](https://appshunter.io/developer/818724409) | [COFAC](https://appshunter.io/developer/962813435) |

## What reviewers say

### Doodle Alchemy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-alchemy/id913167692)

Combine basic elements like air, water, earth, and fire to discover and create new ones. This game offers an intuitive experience with stunning graphics, unique music, and sound effects for an immersive journey of discovery.

**Highlights:** Intuitive one-click gameplay, Stunning graphics and effects, Unique music and sound design, Element combination and discovery, Language learning through play, Vast number of discoverable elements

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special offer. Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| +10 hints. | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special offer. 20 hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| +25 hints. | $1.99 | one-time |
| +150 hints. | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and engaging game
- 🧠 Educational and thought-provoking
- 🎨 Appealing graphics and animations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads interrupting gameplay
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficulty progressing without hints

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when reaching a certain number of elements
- Inconsistent behavior when trying new element combinations

**Requested features**

- More variety in element combinations
- Ability to save and resume progress
- Option to disable ads for a fee


### Monster Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monster-lab/id6745561056)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Doodle Alchemy free?

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

### Is Monster Lab free?

Monster Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Doodle Alchemy or Monster Lab have ads?

Doodle Alchemy shows ads; Monster Lab does not.

### Which is updated more often, Doodle Alchemy or Monster Lab?

Doodle Alchemy ships an update every 13 months, and Monster Lab every 4 months. Most recently, Doodle Alchemy was updated on November 1, 2026 and Monster Lab on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*