# LVL vs Close Cities

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LVL at none against Close Cities's 4. LVL also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (90% vs 69%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Close Cities sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. LVL asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for LVL against 4.8 for Close Cities. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 401 and 362 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of LVL's written reviews are positive against 69% of Close Cities's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LVL | Close Cities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (401 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lvl/id1164492728/reviews) | **[4.8 (362 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **401** | 362 |
| Positive reviews | **89.9% of reviews** | 69.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 130 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ertan Unver](https://appshunter.io/developer/841130981) | [Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo](https://appshunter.io/developer/391953849) |

## What reviewers say

### LVL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lvl/id1164492728)

This minimalistic puzzle game challenges players to think in 3D while solving 2D puzzles. It features over 50 hand-crafted levels and an endless mode with randomly generated puzzles. The unique gameplay requires players to consider interactions on opposite faces of the puzzle.

**Highlights:** 50+ hand-crafted levels, 150+ incredible puzzles, Unlimited randomly-generated levels, Minimalist design, Think in 3D for 2D puzzles, Interact with opposite faces

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wonderful game
- 👍 由淺入深的遊戲
- 👍 simple and satisfying
- 👍 Lvl
- 👍 schlicht und gut

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 stope music
- 🔋 電池食う
- 🔋 Не оптимально
- 🔋 Игра отличная!
- 🐛 Game needs some fixing

**Reported bugs**

- the game start from the beginning when changing mobile device
- The endless version keeps crashing, please fix!
- Swipe controls are poor, making it a pain to change surfaces.
- Your new upgrade is terrible. Very jerky. Liked the old one much better.

**Requested features**

- Move a piece off the cube so it would be easier to rearrange larger pieces.
- a simple button to deactivate the sound
- Different geometric prisms instead of cubes and cubes within cubes


### Close Cities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084)

Build beautiful cities on diverse worlds by solving unique puzzles. This relaxing game guides you through 160 levels with a simple tap or drag interface, requiring no architectural knowledge. Conquer each world's challenges and travel through time with its calming soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Build cities on empty maps, Solve 160 unique puzzle levels, Intuitive tap and drag controls, No architectural knowledge needed, Travel through different worlds, Relaxing music and pace

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hints - Small Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Medium Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads + Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Big Pack | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LVL free?

LVL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Close Cities free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LVL or Close Cities?

Close Cities is rated higher. LVL averages 4.7 out of 5 from 401 ratings, while Close Cities averages 4.8 from 362 ratings.

### Do LVL or Close Cities have ads?

Close Cities shows ads; LVL does not.

### Which is updated more often, LVL or Close Cities?

LVL ships an update every 3 weeks, and Close Cities every 3 weeks. Most recently, LVL was updated on October 22, 2026 and Close Cities on October 21, 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.*