# Google Cardboard vs CubePaintAR

The clearest difference is rating: Google Cardboard at 2.8 against CubePaintAR's 2.1. Google Cardboard also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (598 vs 18). CubePaintAR's advantage is iOS requirement (10.3 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CubePaintAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Google Cardboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

Google Cardboard holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Cardboard has 598 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Google Cardboard's written reviews are positive against 10% of CubePaintAR's.

Google Cardboard ships an update every 3 months, CubePaintAR every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Cardboard | CubePaintAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.8 (598 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-cardboard/id987962261/reviews)** | [2.1 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cubepaintar/id1288635680/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **598** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **26.6% of reviews** | 10.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [highlewelt GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1082678494) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Cardboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-cardboard/id987962261)

Experience virtual reality on your iPhone. This app guides you through setting up a compatible viewer and offers initial immersive experiences to explore.

**Highlights:** VR viewer setup, Introductory VR experiences, iPhone compatibility, Cardboard viewer integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great VR experience
- 🎉 Fun and immersive
- 👍 Simulates VR headset well
- 🌟 Awesome for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Spinning/glitching issues on newer iPhones
- 🤕 Can cause motion sickness
- 📺 Limited content/demos
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate/interact

**Reported bugs**

- Constant spinning/shaking on some devices
- Crashes and freezes on launch
- Incompatibility with certain VR headsets

**Requested features**

- More VR games and interactive experiences
- Ability to view own photos/videos in VR
- Support for newer iOS versions
- Improved navigation and controls


### CubePaintAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cubepaintar/id1288635680)

This augmented reality coloring book lets you bring 13 different animals to life in real space. Scan a special cube with your device, choose an animal, and paint it with your finger. The animated creatures can be recorded and shared.

**Highlights:** Color 13 different animals, Augmented reality integration, Animated animal models, Adjustable brush size, Record and share creations, Requires Merge Cube

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Animals | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Cardboard free?

Google Cardboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CubePaintAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Google Cardboard or CubePaintAR?

Google Cardboard is rated higher. Google Cardboard averages 2.8 out of 5 from 598 ratings, while CubePaintAR averages 2.1 from 18 ratings.

### Do Google Cardboard or CubePaintAR have ads?

Neither Google Cardboard nor CubePaintAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Google Cardboard or CubePaintAR?

Google Cardboard ships an update every 3 months, and CubePaintAR every 2 months. Most recently, Google Cardboard was updated on October 17, 2026 and CubePaintAR on October 6, 2026.

---

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