Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
The verdict on

My Little Pony Rainbow Runners

55
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

My Little Pony Rainbow Runners is a fun and nostalgic endless runner game for fans of the franchise, but its aggressive paywall for additional characters significantly limits gameplay and frustrates many users.

4.6★ lifetime (37,227) Free + in-app purchases since 2017 by Budge Studios updated 7.7 mo ago recent negative 29% 120 reviews across 3 regions
Paywall for Characters Price Concerns Nostalgia Repetitive Gameplay Technical Issues
5★55
4★18
3★17
2★20
1★17
recent reviews across 3 regions, vs the 4.6★ lifetime average

My Little Pony Rainbow Runners is a mobile game that offers a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed it in their childhood. While praised for its fun gameplay and graphics, a major point of contention among recent reviewers is the requirement to pay for most of the playable characters, which many feel hinders progression and overall enjoyment.

What users like

  • Provides a nostalgic experience for former playersR2R6R15R21
  • Gameplay is described as fun and entertainingR3R15R28R39
  • Some users report no bugs or lagR15

What users complain about

  • Requires payment to unlock most characters, limiting free gameplay to only two ponies (Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy)R20R23R31R32
  • Many missions and the ability to finish the game are locked behind paywallsR23R40R44R64
  • Character unlock prices are considered expensive, with some mentioning $10 per character or $20-$40 for allR8R13R27R32
  • Game is perceived as 'pay to win' or 'pay to continue'R87R89R107R117
  • Some players recall a time when all characters were free, indicating a change in monetization strategyR42R44R95R98
  • Gameplay can become repetitive and bland after a whileR77R100R104
  • Annoying voiceovers and limited dialogue are reportedR69R77
  • Some users report glitches and crashes, despite developer notes claiming performance improvementsR126

Latest update · v2025.1.0

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

Welcome back! A new game update is here with performance improvements and bug fixes.

Recurring themes

Paywall for Characters negative
The most prominent complaint is that players are forced to pay real money to unlock most of the main characters (Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity), with only Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy available for free. This prevents players from completing the game or accessing certain levels without a purchase, leading to widespread frustration and accusations of being 'pay to win' or a 'rip off'. Many users express disappointment, especially those who remember a time when all characters were free.R20R23R31R32
Nostalgia positive
Many reviewers, particularly those who played the game in their childhood, express strong feelings of nostalgia and joy at revisiting the game. This sentiment often coexists with frustration over the current monetization model.R2R6R9R15
Price Concerns negative
The cost to unlock characters is frequently cited as too high, with prices ranging from $10 for a single character to $20-$40 for all. Reviewers, including parents and children, feel these prices are unreasonable for a mobile game, especially one marketed to kids, and that it makes the game inaccessible or not worth the investment.R8R13R27R32
Repetitive Gameplay negative
Some users find the game's levels and overall gameplay to be repetitive and lacking variety, which contributes to boredom, especially when combined with the paywall for new characters.R77R100R104
Technical Issues negative
Despite developer notes mentioning performance improvements and bug fixes, at least one recent review still reports glitches and crashes.R126

Who it's for

This game is for young children and nostalgic adults who are fans of My Little Pony and enjoy endless runner mechanics R2R6R15R21. It is particularly suited for those willing to pay for additional characters to experience the full game . It is NOT for players who expect a complete, free-to-play experience or those unwilling to spend money on in-app purchases for characters R31R44R77.

Evidence note: The evidence for technical issues (glitches, crashes) is thin, with only one recent review mentioning it R126, despite developer notes claiming bug fixes. However, the paywall for characters is overwhelmingly supported by numerous reviews across different regions.

Frequently asked

Do you have to pay for characters in My Little Pony Rainbow Runners?
Yes, you have to pay to unlock most characters in My Little Pony Rainbow Runners; only Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy are free to play R20R31R42. Many missions and the ability to finish the game are locked behind these paywalls R23R44R64.
How much do the characters cost in My Little Pony Rainbow Runners?
The cost to unlock characters in My Little Pony Rainbow Runners is considered expensive by many, with individual characters sometimes costing around $10 and bundles for all four locked ponies ranging from $20 to $40 R8R13R27R32.
Is My Little Pony Rainbow Runners a 'pay to win' game?
Many reviewers describe My Little Pony Rainbow Runners as 'pay to win' or 'pay to continue' because progression and completing the game's missions require purchasing additional characters R87R89R107R114.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] 5/5 · US Game: I used to play this game when I was younger, brings back memories.
  2. [R6] 5/5 · US Love it!!: I used to play this game when i was little and i LOVED it! I downloaded it again bc for memories! This game is just the best and i love it❤️❤️
  3. [R15] 5/5 · US My love for this silly game: It is literally so entertaining and nostalgic since I played as a child. No bugs or lag and at all, and the power concepts are awesome!
  4. [R21] 5/5 · US absolutely nostalgic!! :D: Alright so this game gives back so much memories: I remember playing this while being a kid I love this so much :D! ! !
  5. [R3] 5/5 · US This game is really fun: But y’all should make other people pay for the other ponies
  6. [R28] 5/5 · US Famous game: This game is the best. I personally play at 24 hours. It’s so good
  7. [R39] 5/5 · US Wow: Honestly this game is so so so fun so I’m eight years old and most people are bigger than me yeah, please make a part two of this
  8. [R20] 3/5 · US ok game: It is fun except for the part where you have to pay for rainbow dash, apple jack, pinkie ,and rarity.It would be more fun if you at least had four ponies free.
  9. [R23] 2/5 · US My Little Pony Rainbow Runners: After you get to a certain point you have to pay to play.
  10. [R31] 1/5 · US I AM SO MAD THIS IS THE WORST GAME I’VE EVER DOWNLOADED: NO ONE EVER BUY THIS YOU NEED TO PAY FOR FOUR PONIES. YOU ONLY GET TWO TO START WITH. THESE ARE ACTUALLY THE WORST DEVELOPERS EVER IN THE WORLD NEVER SUPPORT THESE DEVELOPERS. DELETE YOUR APP NOW. THEY MAKE YOU PAY SO MUCH MONEY TO GET THINGS THAT SHOULD BE FREE IN ANY OTHER APP IF IT WAS BY ANY OTHER DEVELOPERS I HATE YOU BUDGE. DELETING TH
  11. [R32] 3/5 · US Good game but: At first you’re having fun play as twilight and fluttershy,but when you can’t play the courses that require rainbow dash,applejack and more,that’s when it loses the fun,they ask you to pay 19.99 for all of the ponies and we all don’t want to pay money to keep playing this game,you might as well uninstall the game or restart you’re progress.
  12. [R40] 3/5 · US Good but needs a lot of work like a lot: This was my favorite game until i got to the bit where you need to purchase a pony to continue which is not fair because i dowloaded this game when i was five now im ten i stopped playing when i was still five because i got to the part where you need to pay to continue developer pls fix this pls make it so you can use whatever pony to play not a pony that y
  13. [R44] 1/5 · US terrible: I HAVE TO PAY 20$ TO COMPLETE THE FULL GAME? this is terrible let me play my mlp game in piece. i remember as i child i could play all the ponies, now 20$ for them alll? this game isn’t even getting updates i am not spending 20 bucks
  14. [R64] 1/5 · CA Have to pay to finish the game: You have to pay to finish the game :( there should be another way to make people spend money: early opening of the characters, for upgrade, any other boosters, more hearts etc. But paying for the finishing of the game.. it's ridiculous 😒
  15. [R8] 4/5 · US Best game ever (but the pay wall): I really liked this game but I didn’t like the fact you had to pay for rainbow dash :( If she was free I would give you 5 but since I don’t have 30$ to waste on a kids mobile game it’s a 4
  16. [R13] 5/5 · US wowowowow mlp is so cool 🥺🥹: The game is quite wonderful, although i don't agree with 30 dollars per year for the full game, i know it is per year, but paying that for just one year sounds very expensive either way. To me, 30 dollars sounds like something i would spend in a restaurant, but thats just my thoughts. i believe it is outrageous and overpriced. It's also frustrating how we dont get to c
  17. [R27] 4/5 · US hey there.: i know you love your games, but why make it expensive to buy other ponies? My dad only brought me rainbow dash since it was only 30$ to buy all. Please make the game less expensive, little kids play this games and want other ponies too. Thanks!
  18. [R87] 3/5 · AU Pay to win: I really don’t like how you have to pay to get everything ✌️
  19. [R89] 2/5 · AU Pay to win :/: So yeah the game is very fun and addicting but the least thing that made the game more boring and bad is you have to pay MONEY to unlock the characters which is not fair but still the game is fun but not the pay to win stuffs😅
  20. [R107] 1/5 · AU It wasnt that good: It was very annoying how you had to buy four characters for $23 and you couldnt even complete the game without them so its basically a pay to win game which is very annoying because i was grinding both Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle and then i saw that i had to buy Rarity, Apple Jack and Pinkie Pie to finish the game so thats why i deleted it. Good game but bad qualities wou
  21. [R117] 1/5 · AU Pay to win: In the title
  22. [R42] 1/5 · US Why do I have to pay money for all ponies😭🙏🏾: So I was playing the game when I was a kid and every single pony was free, but until when I got in my phone and download it. I have to pay real money for all ponies. there’s only two free ones.😭 how gonna beat the game? That I had to buy all ponies? can you fix this problem so I will pay money? It’s kinda annoying.(I want the one with. The double jump
  23. [R95] 2/5 · AU Good but…: This game is pretty good but only 2 characters are free, like 2/6 is crazy. I have to pay $30 for 4? When it was like 2018 or smth all of them were free. If you see this, please fix this.
  24. [R98] 1/5 · AU The annoying author: I give a one star because you only give everyone two free ponies not all free, because in the past we got all the ponies for free but now we need to pay for the other four ponies .and I wish you can cancel the pay money for the ponies because is very annoying, if you are a children who you can’t pay money so you need to get money from your parents/family but if your family/par
  25. [R77] 1/5 · CA Poor: Unlike a normal freemium game you can grind currency to unlock but this game requires direct cash payment to unlock features. With highly repetitive levels and gameplay, very annoying narrator with very limited dialog constantly yapping the same lines over and over. Just don't even let your kids play or you'll end up paying the $9.99 just to unlock all the characters. Shame on Budge S
  26. [R100] 2/5 · AU Just okay :/: I find the game too repetitive. It’s fun, and it only starts to get harder after, like, thirty levels. All of the levels feel bland and the same, but that’s not the worst part. Why do you pay to pay for FOUR of the characters? I know you want money, but FOR FOUR?! As fun as this game is, you can tell it’s cheap and easy to make, therefore should not be costing that much for character
  27. [R104] 3/5 · AU Good but…: It’s ok but it gets boring once you played it a lot a plus you have to pay money to unlock the ponies.
  28. [R69] 2/5 · CA 😶: Download this app for a ripoff My Little Pony version of other games! While you're playing, you can enjoy annoying voiceovers that repeat things that you've already learned! (Here you also get a cheesy background story!) Feel free to spend unnecessary money just to finish the game! Come fight for the power of friendship to save Equestria! NOT YAY!!!
  29. [R126] 2/5 · AU Bad: I don’t think it’s fair for kids like me to have to beg their parents to pay FREAKING 40!!! Dollars on pony’s like wth! I get you want to make money 💰 but really? Is 40 Dollars a reasonable price!!! And at the end YOUR REWARD is too do the whole thing again!!! I rated two stars because the game is cool But it still is very GLICHey and crashes a lot. In conclusion good game but please make it
  30. [R9] 5/5 · US Just the best: Loved it since I was little loved it since I was little
  31. [R114] 3/5 · AU Very pay to win: Some of the missions are locked behind paywalls

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store