# Splash vs DESERTOPIA

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Splash at 78% against DESERTOPIA's 45%. Splash also leads on ratings volume (6.3K vs 287) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Splash sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and DESERTOPIA sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Splash holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Splash has 6.3K ratings behind it against 287, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Splash's written reviews are positive against 45% of DESERTOPIA's.

Splash ships an update every 5 weeks, DESERTOPIA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Splash | DESERTOPIA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/splash-fish-aquarium/id960080321/reviews)** | [4.5 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desertopia/id1265572046/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.3K** | 287 |
| Positive reviews | **78.4% of reviews** | 45.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 597 MB | 218 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Runaway](https://appshunter.io/developer/1042800793) | [Gamtropy Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1265572045) |

## What reviewers say

### Splash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/splash-fish-aquarium/id960080321)

Care for a vibrant ocean reef and collect hundreds of sea creatures. Discover new species, learn facts about marine life, and decorate your sanctuary. Participate in special events and connect with friends to build thriving underwater worlds.

**Highlights:** Collect and care for sea creatures, Learn marine life facts, Decorate your reef, Discover new species, Participate in special events, Connect with friends

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 Splashcash | $1.99 | one-time |
| Small Coin Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Event Pack 003 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cuttlefish Rehire | $3.99 | one-time |
| 130 Splashcash | $4.99 | one-time |
| Max Coral Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mini Event Pack 01 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cuttlefish Character | $4.99 | one-time |
| 275 Splashcash | $9.99 | one-time |
| Event Pack 001 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 700 Splashcash | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great game, amazing support
- 🐠 Beautifully rendered fish and coral species
- 🎓 Educational tidbits about marine life
- 🎨 Visually gorgeous and immersive
- 🕰️ Relaxing and addictive gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and loss of progress
- 🕰️ Slow progression and difficulty obtaining rare items
- 💰 Expensive upgrades and in-app purchases
- 🐢 Annoying turtle character blocking interactions
- 🐠 Aggressive/bullying new fish species

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to access account
- Glitches with video ads and rewards
- Missions/tasks disappearing
- Clam/shell rewards not triggering properly

**Requested features**

- Voice narration for non-readers
- Ability to view released fish in the ocean
- More frequent events and new fish additions
- Ability to call the turtle when needed
- Option to hide disruptive characters


### DESERTOPIA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desertopia/id1265572046)

Transform a barren desert island into a thriving habitat at your own pace. Care for the island, restore wildlife, and make choices that influence its development. Enjoy a therapeutic idle simulator with beautiful art and evolving music.

**Highlights:** Storybook-style art, 100+ animals and 25+ terrain types, Weather and water evaporation mechanics, Multi-layered, evolving music, Interactive events influencing island development, Collect trash to clean the environment

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-Free Pass (30 Days) | $19.99 | per month |
| Gem Pack I | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ad Ticket Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack II | $4.99 | one-time |
| NewbiePack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coral reef | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ad Ticket Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| DNAPack001 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack III | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Ancient Island | $9.99 | one-time |
| Cat Pack 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| (Limited) New Year Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| (Limited) New Year Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack IV | $19.99 | one-time |
| (Limited) New Year Pack 4 | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌳 Beautiful art style and relaxing atmosphere
- 🌱 Environmentally-conscious themes
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases required to progress

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Slow progression and long wait times
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes preventing gameplay
- 🤔 Unclear game mechanics and lack of instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to exit tutorial or instructions screen
- Disappearing wetlands and other lost progress
- Compatibility issues on certain devices

**Requested features**

- More in-depth tutorial and gameplay explanations
- Ability to reset or restart progress
- Faster ways to earn resources and unlock new areas


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Splash free?

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

### Is DESERTOPIA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Splash or DESERTOPIA?

Splash is rated higher. Splash averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.3K ratings, while DESERTOPIA averages 4.5 from 287 ratings.

### Do Splash or DESERTOPIA have ads?

Both Splash and DESERTOPIA show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Splash or DESERTOPIA?

Splash ships an update every 5 weeks, and DESERTOPIA every 2 months. Most recently, Splash was updated on September 24, 2026 and DESERTOPIA on September 22, 2026.

---

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