# Google Cardboard vs AR

The clearest difference is price: Google Cardboard at Free against AR's $5.99. Google Cardboard also leads on ratings volume (598 vs 68). AR's advantage is review sentiment (37% vs 24%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Google Cardboard is free to download; AR costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.8 for Google Cardboard against 2.8 for AR. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Cardboard has 598 ratings behind it against 68, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 24% of Google Cardboard's written reviews are positive against 37% of AR's.

Google Cardboard ships an update every 3 months, AR every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Cardboard | AR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [2.8 (598 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-cardboard/id987962261/reviews) | **[2.8 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-bow/id1327762161/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **598** | 68 |
| Positive reviews | 24.2% of reviews | **37.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 60 MB | 680 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Shenzhen Geekplay technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1230366361) |

## 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


### AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-bow/id1327762161)

Engage in augmented reality archery battles by connecting a physical AR-Bow accessory. Aim and shoot virtual arrows at on-screen targets and enemies. Enjoy continuous updates with new features and games.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality gameplay, Bluetooth connectivity, Virtual archery combat, Regular updates, Suitable for all ages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Cardboard free?

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

### Is AR free?

AR costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

AR is rated higher. Google Cardboard averages 2.8 out of 5 from 598 ratings, while AR averages 2.8 from 68 ratings.

### Do Google Cardboard or AR have ads?

Neither Google Cardboard nor AR shows ads.

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

Google Cardboard ships an update every 3 months, and AR every 5 weeks. Most recently, Google Cardboard was updated on September 23, 2026 and AR on September 29, 2026.

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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.*