Comparison

Flow Free vs the number bubble

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

Head to head
About

Flow Free

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
Read full description

Hexes! The next evolution of Flow Free®! If you like Flow Free, you'll love Flow Free: Hexes®! Connect matching colors with pipe to create a Flow®. Pair all colors, and cover the entire board to solve each puzzle. But watch out, pipes will break if they cross or overlap! Free play through hundreds of levels, or race against the clock in Time Trial mode. Gameplay ranges from simple and relaxed, to challenging and frenetic, and everywhere in between. How you play is up to you. So, give Flow Free: Hexes a try, and experience "mind like water"! Flow Free: Hexes features: * Over 2,500 free, hexagonal puzzles! * Daily puzzles: new levels every day, never run out * Carefully crafted, high-quality puzzles ranging from easy to extreme! * Optimized touch controls for smooth, satisfying play * Game Center achievements and cloud sync of your progress * Clean, colorful graphics and fun sound effects Enjoy!

About

the number bubble

A fun and interactive way to keep score for games with friends. Players get colorful bubbles that grow with their score, offering solo or multiplayer modes. Scores are visible on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island.

Highlights
  • Interactive score bubbles
  • Solo or multiplayer modes
  • Lock Screen and Dynamic Island integration
  • Quick room setup via code/link/QR
  • Customizable background colors
  • No ads or tracking
Features
Read full description

number bubble is the playful way to keep score for game night. Every player gets a colorful bubble that floats, bounces, and grows as their score climbs. Tap to add points, or fling a bubble just for fun. • Solo or together: keep score on one device and pass it around, or start a room and everyone joins from their own phone. • Play nearby, no internet: on a plane or off the grid? Host a game and friends nearby join over the local network. No Wi-Fi or signal required. • Start in seconds: share a code, a link, or a QR. No accounts, no sign-up. • Send points: move points from player to player, banker-style. • Always in view: your score lives on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island while you play. • Make it yours: choose the background colors for your game. Great for card games, board games, darts, trivia, sports, or any time you need to keep score with friends. No ads. No tracking. Just bubbles.

Screenshots

Flow Free4 screens
the number bubble4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: the number bubble at none against Flow Free's 11. the number bubble also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 5 months). Flow Free's advantage is ratings volume (10K vs 3) and device support (3 vs 1). On price 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. Flow Free sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. the number bubble asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

the number bubble holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flow Free has 10K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Flow Free ships an update every 5 months, the number bubble every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Flow Free versus the number bubble: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlow Freethe number bubble
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (10K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings10K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBig Duck Games LLCNuri Bruner

Customer experience

Flow Free

All ratings10,408 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews477 reviews
Positive83.9%
Neutral3.8%
Negative12.4%

the number bubble

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Flow Free

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Hints using themselves randomly
  • Freezing and crashing issues
  • Ads causing performance issues

Requested features

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

the number bubble

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Flow Free

One-time11
  • 5 Hints$0.99
  • Unlock All Themes$1.99
  • Classic Pack 2$1.99
Show 8 more
  • 10x10 Mania$1.99
  • Jumbo Pack 2$1.99
  • Kids Pack$1.99
  • Starter Bundle$1.99
  • 11x11 Mania$1.99
  • 20 Hints$2.99
  • Unlock All Packs and Remove Ads$4.99
  • 100 Hints$9.99
None

the number bubble

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Flow Free free?
Flow Free is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is the number bubble free?
the number bubble is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Flow Free or the number bubble?
the number bubble is rated higher. Flow Free averages 4.8 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while the number bubble averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Flow Free or the number bubble have ads?
Flow Free shows ads; the number bubble does not.
Which is updated more often, Flow Free or the number bubble?
Flow Free ships an update every 5 months, and the number bubble every 4 weeks. Most recently, Flow Free was updated on November 3, 2026 and the number bubble on October 10, 2026.

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