# Flow Free vs Shade Shift!

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shade Shift! at none against Flow Free's 11. Shade Shift! also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). Flow Free's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flow Free sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Shade Shift! asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flow Free ships an update every 5 months, Shade Shift! every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow Free | Shade Shift! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-free-hexes/id1145541321/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 83.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 66 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Big Duck Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/435664937) | [Vinod Ralh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133752226) |

## What reviewers say

### Flow Free

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-free-hexes/id1145541321)

Connect matching colored pipes on a hexagonal grid to create a flow. Solve puzzles by pairing all colors and covering the entire board without pipes crossing. Offers hundreds of levels and daily challenges for a relaxing or timed experience.

**Highlights:** Hexagonal grid puzzles, Connect matching colors, Hundreds of free levels, Daily puzzles, Time Trial mode, Game Center achievements, Cloud sync

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 Hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Themes | $1.99 | one-time |
| Classic Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10x10 Mania | $1.99 | one-time |
| Jumbo Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Kids Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| 11x11 Mania | $1.99 | one-time |
| 20 Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Packs and Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 Hints | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and challenging puzzles
- 👍 Relaxing and calming gameplay
- 🎨 Visually appealing and smooth animations
- 💪 Keeps the mind active and sharp

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Repetitive patterns in later levels
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty progression
- 🔍 Placement of UI elements could be improved
- 🔍 Excessive ads can disrupt gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Hints using themselves randomly
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Ads causing performance issues

**Requested features**

- More new and unique puzzle packs
- Ability to disable animations
- Leaderboards and competitive modes
- Increased difficulty options


### Shade Shift!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shade-shift/id6758073110)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flow Free free?

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

### Is Shade Shift! free?

Shade Shift! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Flow Free or Shade Shift! have ads?

Both Flow Free and Shade Shift! show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flow Free or Shade Shift!?

Flow Free ships an update every 5 months, and Shade Shift! every 2 weeks. Most recently, Flow Free was updated on October 21, 2026 and Shade Shift! on October 22, 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.*