Crossy Road is the bigger game, with more than 300 characters, over 28 worlds, multiplayer and Apple TV support. Capybara Crossing is smaller and simpler: 19 capybaras whose perks change how you play, a download about a sixth the size, and nothing for sale. Pick Crossy Road for variety and playing with friends. Pick Capybara Crossing for a light offline game with no in-app purchases.
Both are free, so trying both is also a reasonable answer. Here’s how they differ.
Capybara Crossing vs Crossy Road at a glance #
| Capybara Crossing | Crossy Road | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Chinese Powered | Hipster Whale |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | None | Yes, characters and extras |
| Ads | Top banner, occasional post-game ad, optional reward videos | Yes |
| Characters | 19 capybaras, many with gameplay perks | 300+ collectible characters |
| Worlds | One world, four lane types | 28+ worlds |
| Works offline | Yes, only ads need a connection | Yes |
| App Store size | 39.9 MB | 256.4 MB |
| App Store age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Multiplayer | No | Yes |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple silicon Macs | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Windows and more |
Sizes and ratings are from the US App Store in September 2026.
How are Capybara Crossing and Crossy Road the same? #
Both are endless hoppers in the line that Konami’s Frogger started in 1981. You tap to hop forward and swipe to move, and you cross roads full of traffic, rivers where you ride logs, and railways where warning lights come before the train. Both generate the world as you go, so every run is new. Both also keep you honest with an eagle that swoops in if you dawdle.
If you like one, you’ll understand the other within a minute. The differences are in characters, money and scope.
Characters: a big collection or a small set of perks? #
Crossy Road is built around collecting. It lists over 300 characters, and many of them change the world around you, with themed sounds and scenery. Coins come from runs, ads, free gifts, tasks and purchases, and every 100 coins buys a draw from the prize machine, so you don’t choose which character you get.
Capybara Crossing has 19 capybaras at fixed prices from 100 to 3,500 coins, and you pick which one to buy. Most have a perk that changes play: coin magnets, smaller hitboxes, a one-hit shield, faster hops, or an eagle that waits longer. See the full roster in our guide to every Capybara Crossing character.
Collectors will find more to chase in Crossy Road. Players who care about their high score may prefer choosing a perk to spinning for a skin.
Money: what does each game sell? #
Crossy Road is free with ads and sells characters and extras. Its App Store listing shows items up to $2.99, including the Piggy Bank, which doubles coin rewards from ads and gifts.
Capybara Crossing sells nothing. It’s paid for by ads, with some limits:
- a banner at the top of the screen
- an occasional ad after game over, never in your first three games of a session and never twice within two minutes
- optional reward videos that you choose to watch for 50 coins or a revive
There’s also Crossy Road+ on Apple Arcade, a re-imagined version included with an Arcade subscription. Like every Apple Arcade game, it has no ads or in-app purchases, so if you already pay for Arcade it’s the cleanest way to play Crossy Road.
Download size and older phones #
On the App Store, Crossy Road is 256.4 MB and Capybara Crossing is 39.9 MB. If your phone is always nagging about storage, or you’re setting up an older hand-me-down device for a child, that gap matters.
Can you play with friends? #
Crossy Road has multiplayer modes, and its Apple TV version supports multiplayer with controllers. It’s the better choice for passing the fun around a living room.
Capybara Crossing is a solo game. You can share your score straight from the game-over screen, but there’s no head-to-head mode.
Which is better for kids? #
Both carry a 9+ rating on the App Store for mild cartoon peril: characters get bumped by traffic or carried off by an eagle, without blood or weapons. For parents, the real difference is spending. Capybara Crossing has nothing to buy. Crossy Road sells characters, so turn on purchase approval before handing it over. Our list of non-violent games for young kids walks through those settings.
Which one should you play? #
Choose Crossy Road if you want:
- a huge character collection and themed worlds
- multiplayer, or big-screen play on Apple TV
- the original that made endless road-crossing famous
Choose Capybara Crossing if you want:
- a free game with no in-app purchases at all
- characters whose perks change how you play
- a small download that works fully offline, with no account
Capybara Crossing takes about a minute to learn if you’ve played Crossy Road. The eagle still arrives after eight seconds of standing still, but the capybaras that make it wait longer are yours to earn. For more options in the same style, see our list of games like Crossy Road with animals.
Frequently asked questions #
Is Capybara Crossing a copy of Crossy Road? #
They share a genre. Road-crossing games go back to Konami’s Frogger in 1981, and Crossy Road made the endless version popular in 2014. Capybara Crossing has its own capybara world, its own lane rules, and perk-based characters instead of a large cosmetic collection.
Do Crossy Road and Capybara Crossing work offline? #
Yes. Crossy Road’s listing says it’s playable offline, and Capybara Crossing runs entirely on your device, with only the ads needing a connection. Both are good choices for flights and subway rides.
Which game has more characters? #
Crossy Road, by a wide margin: over 300 against Capybara Crossing’s 19. The trade-off is that Crossy Road characters are mostly cosmetic and come from random draws, while Capybara Crossing lets you choose, and most of its capybaras have a perk.
Does Capybara Crossing have an eagle like Crossy Road? #
Yes. In Capybara Crossing, a warning flashes after five seconds of standing still and the eagle arrives at eight. Hot Spring, Rainbow, Dino and Space Capy give you extra time before it swoops.