# Candleman vs Hit Shadow !

Candleman and Hit Shadow ! both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Candleman's written reviews are positive against 21% of Hit Shadow !'s. Candleman also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Hit Shadow !'s advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (3.6K vs 41). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Candleman sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hit Shadow ! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Candleman holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hit Shadow ! has 3.6K ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Candleman's written reviews are positive against 21% of Hit Shadow !'s.

Candleman ships an update every 11 months, Hit Shadow ! every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Candleman | Hit Shadow ! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candleman/id1137143735/reviews)** | [4.4 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hit-shadow/id1499529862/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **3.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 20.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 354 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Jiao Dian Chuang Yi digital technology Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/654637118) | [Ketchapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/528065807) |

## What reviewers say

### Candleman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candleman/id1137143735)

Embark on an action-adventure journey as a small candle with a limited light source. Navigate challenging levels in darkness, utilizing light and shadow mechanics to overcome obstacles and uncover hidden treasures in an enchanting fairytale world.

**Highlights:** 10-second light mechanic, Light and shadow gameplay, Challenging levels, Enchanted environments, Fairytale story

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Candleman full game | $4.99 | one-time |


### Hit Shadow !

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hit-shadow/id1499529862)

Create fun shadow puppets with your hands to mimic animals and objects. Explore numerous hand shapes and combinations to bring your shadow creations to life and earn rewards.

**Highlights:** Create shadow animals and objects, Dozens of hand shapes, Discover combinations, Perfect finger positioning, Earn animated rewards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and relaxing game
- 👍 Interesting hand shadow concept
- 🎨 Variety of hand shapes and gloves

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive ads after every level
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs (level 97 issues)
- 🤯 Repetitive and limited hand shapes

**Reported bugs**

- Level 97 not functioning properly
- App crashes or freezes on some devices

**Requested features**

- More challenging levels
- Ability to create custom hand shapes
- Reduce frequency of ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Candleman free?

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

### Is Hit Shadow ! free?

Hit Shadow ! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Candleman or Hit Shadow !?

Candleman is rated higher. Candleman averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Hit Shadow ! averages 4.4 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Candleman or Hit Shadow ! have ads?

Neither Candleman nor Hit Shadow ! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Candleman or Hit Shadow !?

Candleman ships an update every 11 months, and Hit Shadow ! every 3 weeks. Most recently, Candleman was updated on October 13, 2026 and Hit Shadow ! on October 8, 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.*