Decentraland vs 
The Sandbox
The two original metaverse land projects, launched into the same 2021 wave and still the reference pair. Decentraland is browser-based and governed by a DAO that votes on the platform itself; The Sandbox is built around voxel creation tools and struck deals with a long list of consumer brands. Both sold virtual land as scarce parcels, and both have had to answer the same question since: whether anyone visits. Judge them on current activity, not on the partnership announcements.
12 months, both starting at 100 (AUD)
MANA → 23 · SAND → 12| Measure | MANA | SAND |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | A$0.2B | A$0.2B |
| Rank | #217 | #256 |
| Price | A$0.1167 | A$0.0575 |
| 90-day change (AUD) | +21.4% | −20.9% |
| 12-month change (AUD) | −73.7% | −86.1% |
| From all-time high | −98.6% | −99.5% |
| Supply model | No fixed maximum | Capped: 3.00B max |
| AU exchanges we verify it on | 3 | 3 |
About Decentraland
About The Sandbox
FAQ
Which is bigger, Decentraland or The Sandbox?
By market value today: Decentraland (A$0.2B vs A$0.2B). Size measures money invested, not quality — but it does measure liquidity, which affects how easily you can buy and sell.
Which performed better this year?
Over the past 12 months in AUD terms: MANA −73.7%, SAND −86.1% — the chart above shows the whole path, which matters more than the endpoints. Past performance is no indicator of future results, in either direction.
Can I buy both in Australia?
Yes — both are listed on AUSTRAC-registered exchanges we verify. MANA appears on 3 of our reviewed platforms and SAND on 3. Compare costs first on the fee calculator, and remember every crypto-to-crypto swap between them is a CGT event.
Should I hold MANA or SAND?
That's a personal decision we don't make for you — this page exists to make the structural differences clear so the choice is yours. What we'd say to anyone: understand what job each coin is designed for, size positions like the risk is real, and check the honest failure statistics before going further down the market-cap list.
Data from our market records (powered by CoinGecko), refreshed with the daily rebuild. General information only, not financial advice — we compare structure and history, we don't pick winners.