Join4 for iMessage vs DoodleBack
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Join4 for iMessage
Challenge friends in a classic connect four game directly through iMessage. Strategically place your colored counters to be the first to achieve four in a row and win the game.
- Play via iMessage
- Turn-based gameplay
- Strategic counter placement
- Challenge friends
- Connect four win condition
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Can you Join4? Challenge your friends over iMessage to see who can be the first to connect 4 of their coloured counters! Take it in turns to place counters, strategically blocking each other until one of you finds a way to win!
DoodleBack
Transform iMessage into a fun drawing and guessing game. Pick a word, draw it, and send it to a friend to guess. Continue the drawing chain, earn points, and enjoy a unique way to connect.
- Play directly in iMessage
- Thousands of word prompts
- Custom prompt creation
- Smart hint system
- Undo/redo drawing tools
- Score and streak tracking
- Drawing history view
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Turn iMessage into an easy to play drawing game! HOW IT WORKS • Pick a word prompt (or create your own!) • Draw it with your finger • Send to your friend to guess • They guess your drawing, then draw something back • Keep the streak going and rack up points! FEATURES • Play right in iMessage - no separate app needed • Choose from thousands of prompts across 4 difficulty levels • Custom prompts for inside jokes and personal challenges • Smart hint system to help when you're stuck • Undo/redo while drawing for perfect doodles • Track your score and streak • View your drawing history together • Beautiful dark mode support • Live message bubbles with drawing animations SCORING SYSTEM • Easy words: 2 points • Medium words: 3 points • Hard words: 4 points • Very Hard words: 5 points • Custom prompts: 1 point • Use hints to get unstuck (reduces points earned) No ads. Just pure drawing fun with the people you care about. Send your first DoodleBack today!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: DoodleBack at 94% against Join4 for iMessage's 38%. DoodleBack also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.8 vs 2.3). Join4 for iMessage's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads and iOS requirement 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
DoodleBack is free to download; Join4 for iMessage costs $0.99 up front. DoodleBack sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Join4 for iMessage asks for nothing beyond the download.
DoodleBack holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DoodleBack has 45 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Join4 for iMessage's written reviews are positive against 94% of DoodleBack's.
Join4 for iMessage ships an update every 59 months, DoodleBack every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Join4 for iMessage | DoodleBack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.3 (3 ratings) | 4.8 (45 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | 94.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 45 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 59 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Matthew Cotton | BERG LLC |
Customer experience
Join4 for iMessage
DoodleBack
In-app purchases
Join4 for iMessage
No in-app purchases
DoodleBack
- Handful (75 Coins)$0.99
- Pouch (600 Coins)$4.99
- Chest (1500 Coins)$9.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Cart (3500 Coins)$19.99
- Vault (10000 Coins)$49.99
- Pirate Ship (25000 Coins)$99.99
Questions
Is Join4 for iMessage free?
Is DoodleBack free?
Which has better reviews, Join4 for iMessage or DoodleBack?
Do Join4 for iMessage or DoodleBack have ads?
Which is updated more often, Join4 for iMessage or DoodleBack?
Other comparisons
