# Nightgate vs The Shine

The clearest difference is price: The Shine at Free against Nightgate's $3.99. Nightgate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

The Shine is free to download; Nightgate costs $3.99 up front. The Shine sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Nightgate asks for nothing beyond the download.

Nightgate ships an update every 5 months, The Shine every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nightgate | The Shine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nightgate/id1116808304/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 162 MB | 430 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Semidome Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/779855685) | [White Cube d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387370155) |

## What reviewers say

### Nightgate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nightgate/id1116808304)

Navigate a dark, digital world in the year 2398 as the last remaining life form on Earth. Explore 50 handcrafted levels, avoid enemies, and uncover the mysteries of this futuristic landscape. Enjoy an immersive experience with a stunning minimalist design and original soundtrack.

**Highlights:** 50 handcrafted levels, Avoid enemies, Immersive digital environments, Original soundtrack, Minimalist design, Discover achievements, iCloud progress sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Stunning visuals
- 🎵 Immersive soundtrack
- 👍 Simple yet challenging
- 🌟 Unique and innovative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🕹️ Slightly difficult controls
- 📏 Levels could be more varied
- 🕰️ Game is a bit short

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when switching apps
- Levels sometimes reset unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- More levels and content updates
- Ability to reset progress
- Multiplayer or online features


### The Shine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-shine/id1535631340)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ads Removal | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Stars | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Stars | $2.99 | one-time |
| 50 Stars | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100 Stars | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nightgate free?

Nightgate costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Shine free?

The Shine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Nightgate or The Shine have ads?

The Shine shows ads; Nightgate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Nightgate or The Shine?

Nightgate ships an update every 5 months, and The Shine every 14 months. Most recently, Nightgate was updated on October 22, 2026 and The Shine on October 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*