Comparison

Project vs Protocol

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Project

Experience an innovative music game where every tap triggers original electronic sounds. Engage in rhythm gameplay with unique multi-track challenges, diverse music styles, and customizable characters. Compete with friends and players worldwide in this visually rich experience.

Highlights
  • Rhythm gameplay with real-time pronunciation
  • Original independent electronic music
  • Multi-track music challenges
  • Diverse and updated music styles
  • Customizable characters and skins
  • Global player competition
  • Potential visual improvement for amblyopia
Features
Read full description

Project: Muse brings music beyond listening, making every encounter meaningful. Play a wide variety of electronic music, meet characters with distinct personalities, watch them grow, and explore their personal spaces. Follow the notes at your fingertips and discover more to enjoy on a journey shared with music and characters. 【Awards & Recognition】 Recognized by the App Store with the honors “Best Chinese Indie Game” and “Best Music Rhythm.” 【Bring Music to Your Fingertips】 Every note responds to your touch in real time. Tap along with the beat and feel the melody come alive. Whether you prefer to enjoy the music at your own pace or challenge yourself with precise rhythm gameplay, there is a way to play that suits you. 【A Diverse Electronic Music Library】 Explore over 200 electronic tracks spanning a variety of styles. Most tracks are created by independent musicians from around the world. The game has featured collaborations with artists including ColBreakz, Blaver, KODOMOi, Akako Hinami, Yan Dongwei, and Sheng Yunze, with more music added over time. 【More Ways to Play】 Alongside the classic rhythm gameplay, try Piano Mode and Prism Mode for different ways to play and experience the music. Take on higher difficulties and beat your personal best. 【Meet Your Favorite Characters】 Meet over 40 characters, each with a distinct personality, and choose from a variety of themed skins. Pick your favorite character and customize their look to make every performance your own. 【Grow Alongside Your Characters】 Develop your favorite characters through the character progression system and discover more as they grow. Beyond mastering tracks, you will have new goals to pursue along the way. 【Explore Character Spaces】 Every character has a personal space of their own. Step inside to get a closer look at their everyday lives and discover more character-related content.

About

Protocol

Experience a unique rhythm game set in a musical hyperspace. Enjoy tense 3D note patterns synchronized with music from famous artists and popular game soundtracks. Optimized for smartphones and tablets.

Highlights
  • Unique 3D visual note patterns
  • Music from famous artists
  • Soundtracks from popular games
  • Optimized for smartphone/tablet
  • Tense rhythm gameplay
Features
Read full description

The feast of rhythm and beat in the Hyperspace! New kind of rhythm game Protocol : hyperspace Diver is Released! Let's DIVE into musical hyperspace ▶ Providing unique visual and tense note pattern in 3D space ▶ Music Dive with splendid music of famous artist such as ESTi / M2U / TAK / SQUARE MUSIQ... ▶ You can play Masterpiece of music from "Dragon flight / Destiny child" - popular games of NextFloor ▶ Play newest rhythm game optimized in Smartphone / Tablet Now! * Due to latency of the sound system, beat sync would not fit perfectly with Bluetooth devices. Using wired earphone or headphone is recommended.

Screenshots

Project4 screens
Protocol4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Protocol at none against Project's 10. Protocol also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Project's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 54). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Project sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Protocol asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Project holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Project has 1.5K ratings behind it against 54, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Project's written reviews are positive against 79% of Protocol's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Project ships an update monthly, Protocol every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Project versus Protocol: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterProjectProtocol
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (1.5K ratings) — better4.2 (54 ratings)
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews78.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.5K — better54
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size985 MB274 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperRinzz Co. Ltd.LINE Games

Customer experience

Project

All ratings1,492 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral4.1%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews250 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral12.4%
Negative15.2%

Protocol

All ratings53 ratings
Positive77.4%
Neutral7.5%
Negative15.1%
Written reviews149 reviews
Positive78.5%
Neutral6.7%
Negative14.8%

Bugs and requests

Project

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Levels/songs getting locked after updates
  • Inconsistent note registration on 4-lane sections
  • SOS feature not working as intended
  • Progress/data loss after reinstalling the app

Requested features

4 requests
  • Practice mode for individual song sections
  • More frequent content updates
  • Ability to restore previously purchased content
  • Improved calibration and note detection

Protocol

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Project

One-time10
  • New Journey - Coins Pack$0.99
  • Green Light - Package A$0.99
  • New Player Bonus$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Unlimited Energy$1.99
  • The Holy Night Expedition$2.99
  • Lucky Snowy Cloud Nation$2.99
  • Forest Rhapsody$2.99
  • Journey To Another World$2.99
  • On The Way - Coins Pack$3.99
  • VIP PACK$5.99
None

Protocol

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Project free?
Project is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Protocol free?
Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Project or Protocol?
Project is rated higher. Project averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Protocol averages 4.2 from 54 ratings.
Do Project or Protocol have ads?
Project shows ads; Protocol does not.
Which is updated more often, Project or Protocol?
Project ships an update monthly, and Protocol every 3 months. Most recently, Project was updated on November 6, 2026 and Protocol on November 6, 2026.

Other comparisons