Playground Buddy vs Hape Engine
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Playground Buddy
Discover playgrounds globally with a vast database of over 700,000 locations. Get directions, view photos, and share playground details. Save favorites, log visits, and contribute new playgrounds and photos.
- Worldwide playground database
- Search by location
- Get directions
- View playground photos
- Share playground info
- Save favorite playgrounds
- Log playground visits
- Add new playgrounds
Read full descriptionHide full description
Every parent knows the question: "Where can we go play?" Playground Buddy answers it in seconds. Discover over 700,000 playgrounds around the world, see what each one is really like before you go, and turn any afternoon into an adventure. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, nanny, or anyone lucky enough to look after a little one, Playground Buddy helps you find the perfect spot — from the swings around the corner to a hidden gem across the country. WHY FAMILIES LOVE PLAYGROUND BUDDY • Find playgrounds near you, across town, or anywhere you're traveling • See real photos and details before you make the trip • Get one-tap directions in Apple Maps or Google Maps • Filter for exactly what you need — swings, slides, water play, shade, washrooms, fenced areas, and wheelchair-accessible equipment • Save your favorites and build your family's go-to list • Log your visits, rate each playground, and keep private notes • See everywhere you've already been, right on the map BUILT BY FAMILIES, FOR FAMILIES Playground Buddy is powered by a community of caregivers just like you. Spot a playground that's missing? Add it in a few taps and help the next family find it. Took a great photo? Share it so others know what to expect. PHOTOS THAT PROTECT KIDS' PRIVACY Children's safety comes first. That's why Playground Buddy automatically blurs faces in the photos you upload — so you can show what a playground looks like without sharing who was there. PLAN THE PERFECT OUTING • Heading somewhere new? Search any city and scope out playgrounds before you arrive. • Long car trip? Find a great place to stretch little legs along the way. • Need a break from the sun? Filter for shaded and covered spots. Finding somewhere wonderful for your kids to play should be the easy part of your day. Download Playground Buddy and discover your next favorite playground today.
Hape Engine
Control Hape toy engines remotely via Bluetooth. Simulate an authentic driving experience with sound and light effects, and operate the engine's headlight and horn.
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Engine movement control
- Sound and light effects
- Headlight operation
- Horn operation
- Simulated driving interface
Read full descriptionHide full description
This APP is a remote function controller for the Hape engine. Please buy the engine before downloading and operating the APP. The product and APP are suitable for children over three years old. Download the APP on your compatible smartphone, and connect the APP to the engine via Bluetooth following the enclosed instructions. When you are done, you can launch your engine. Use the APP’s operation interface as panels in the engine’s driving cab. Press buttons to make the engine move forward, accelerate forward, reverse or accelerate backwards. While the engine is working, different sound and light effects simulate an authentic driving experience; the engine's headlight and horn can also be operated via the APP. This APP does not contain any contextual advertising. If you need any support, please contact customer services.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Playground Buddy at 4.1 against Hape Engine's 3.6. Playground Buddy also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 38%). Hape Engine's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Playground Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Playground Buddy's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hape Engine's.
Playground Buddy ships an update every 3 months, Hape Engine monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Playground Buddy | Hape Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (48 ratings) — better | 3.6 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 37.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 48 — better | 18 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Birds Eye Technology | Hape |
Customer experience
Playground Buddy
Hape Engine
Bugs and requests
Playground Buddy
Reported bugs
10 issues- App crashes within seconds
- Submitting feedback results in a blank screen
- Contributions and photos disappear
- Text shows up black on black background (dark theme)
- Favorites list not linking to park data
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- App pastes from clipboard on opening
- Playgrounds saved with details/photos lose information
- App says 'no playgrounds found' initially
- Text keeps getting deleted after posting
- App crashes when trying to add parks
Requested features
15 requests- Add personal notes on places
- Filter out school playgrounds
- Ability to build a personal list of parks visited
- Support dark screens (writing visible)
- Filter for inclusive playground equipment
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Include Spark Parks
- Change pin colors to track visited playgrounds
- Track visited but disliked parks
- Add satellite view
- Adjust top buttons for newer iPhones
- Integrate Google's business feature for crowd avoidance
- Allow users to rate playgrounds
- Add option to add parks
- Consider getting sponsors for updates
- Add dark mode support
Hape Engine
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Playground Buddy
No in-app purchases
Hape Engine
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Playground Buddy free?
Is Hape Engine free?
Which has better reviews, Playground Buddy or Hape Engine?
Do Playground Buddy or Hape Engine have ads?
Which is updated more often, Playground Buddy or Hape Engine?
Other comparisons















