Watch Pet by Kooapps has the largest user base of any Apple Watch virtual pet app, with over 4,000 ratings and a 4.4 average. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Vision Pro. The trade-off is monetization: the free tier shows ads, and the in-app purchase list includes pet passes, coin packs, ad removal, and consumable IAPs for feeding, watering, and playing. Belly takes the opposite approach: watch-only, free with no ads, and a single optional layer of cosmetic IAPs.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Belly | Watch Pet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paywalls | Free with paywalled features |
| Ads | None | Yes ($1.99 to remove) |
| In-app purchases | Cosmetic only (optional) | Pet passes, coin packs, consumables |
| Designed for | Apple Watch only | iPhone, iPad, Watch, Mac, Vision Pro |
| App size | 29 MB | 193 MB |
| Customization | Hand-drawn cosmetics, scenes, auras, toys, food items | Multiple pet types and accessories |
| Pet variety | Cats (more on roadmap) | Multiple species |
| Social features | Friends, leaderboard, visit | Limited |
| Age rating | 4+ | 13+ |
| App Store rating | 5.0 (small sample) | 4.4 (4.1K ratings) |
Belly: Built for the Wrist, Free, No Ads
Belly is built for Apple Watch and only Apple Watch. There is no iPhone companion app on purpose. The reasoning: a wrist-sized pet experience belongs on the wrist, not on a 6-inch phone where a tiny pet looks lost. The format also fits how kids use Apple Watch with Family Setup, where the watch is paired to a parent's phone.
Customization is where Belly invests most. Hand-drawn cosmetics, scenes and backgrounds, auras and effects, plus a range of toys and food items that affect happiness and health. Coins are earnable through walking and play. Optional cosmetic IAPs exist for users who want shortcuts, but no functional content is gated.
Belly Strengths
- Zero ads. The app is ad-free at the free tier.
- Free with no paywalled features. IAPs are optional cosmetic shortcuts only.
- Watch-only by design. The whole experience is built for the small screen.
- Deep customization: hand-drawn cosmetics, scenes, auras, toys, food items.
- Social features: friends, leaderboard, visit other pets.
- Suitable for kids on Family Setup. Age-rated 4+.
- Lightweight (29 MB) compared to Watch Pet's 193 MB.
Belly Limitations
- One pet species at launch (cats), with more on the roadmap.
- Newer app with a smaller user base than Watch Pet.
- No iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Vision Pro version. By design, but a real consideration if you want a multi-device pet.
Watch Pet: Multi-Device, More Pets, Heavier Monetization
Watch Pet by Kooapps has been on the App Store for years and has built up a 4.1K-rating, 4.4-star user base. It is genuinely the most popular pet app in the category. Its biggest selling points are pet variety (multiple species available) and cross-device support: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac with Apple Silicon, and Vision Pro.
The trade-off is monetization. The free tier shows ads. Removing ads is a separate $1.99 IAP. There are also pet passes ($3.99 and $4.99), coin packs ($0.99 to multiple dollars), and consumable IAPs for feeding, watering, and playing actions ($1.99 each for 10 actions). The age rating is 13+, which reflects the ad and IAP exposure rather than the gameplay.
Watch Pet Strengths
- Multiple pet species available across the catalog.
- Cross-device: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, Vision Pro.
- Most popular pet app in this category by user count.
- Widget-focused on iPhone and iPad, which is the main use case for many users.
- Mature app with years of polish.
Watch Pet Limitations
- Ads in the free version. $1.99 IAP to remove them.
- Heavy IAP layer: pet passes, coin packs, ad removal, plus consumable IAPs for basic actions.
- 13+ age rating. Less suitable for younger kids than a 4+ app.
- Heavier app at 193 MB compared to Belly's 29 MB.
- Less Watch-first. Many users mainly use the iPhone widget; the Watch experience is one surface among several.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Belly if you want:
- An ad-free experience at the free tier
- No paywalls on functional content
- A pet designed specifically for Apple Watch
- Deep customization (cosmetics, scenes, auras, toys, food)
- A 4+ rated app suitable for younger users on Family Setup
- Social features (friends, leaderboard, visit)
Choose Watch Pet if you want:
- A pet on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro alongside your Watch
- Variety in pet species from day one
- The most-installed app in the category, with mature polish
- You are comfortable removing ads with a one-time IAP and don't mind the IAP catalog