Buckets! vs Catalyst Chain Reaction
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Buckets!
A simple yet challenging arcade game where players tap to launch a ball into buckets. It features 11 distinct modes that increase in difficulty, offering unique gameplay mechanics and a daily challenge with global leaderboards.
- Tap to launch ball
- 11 unlockable game modes
- Daily challenge with global leaderboard
- Track accuracy and streaks
- Compete on Game Center leaderboards
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Tap to launch. Land in the right bucket. That's it. Until it isn't. There's a mode where buckets can steal all your points. One where the ball disappears and you shoot from memory. One where you solve math to score. One that gets faster every time you land a shot. 12 modes total. They start simple and get wild. You unlock new ones by proving you can handle the last. Daily Challenge: one mode, a few tries, and a global leaderboard that resets every 24 hours. Everyone plays the same challenge — your best score is the only one that counts. Warm up for free, then go for real. Yesterday's winners stay posted so you can see who held the crown. Compete on Game Center leaderboards. Track your accuracy and streaks. See which mode finally breaks you. One thumb. One pendulum. Good luck.
Catalyst Chain Reaction
Engage in a fast-paced puzzle game where each tap initiates a chain reaction of exploding circles. Choose from Classic, Zen, or Puzzle modes, each offering unique challenges and gameplay experiences. Progress through levels, track your scores, and enjoy smooth, responsive controls.
- Touch-driven gameplay
- Cascading explosions
- Classic, Zen, and Puzzle modes
- 50 levels per mode
- Star-based progression
- High score tracking
- Smooth visuals and responsive controls
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Catalyst Chain Reaction is a fast, touch-driven reaction game where every tap can trigger a cascading explosion of circles. Play your way: - Classic Mode: Beat the clock and climb through increasingly challenging levels. - Zen Mode: No timer, just smooth gameplay and focus. - Puzzle Mode: Solve handcrafted layouts with limited taps. Features: - 50 levels per mode with progressive difficulty - Star-based progression and high score tracking - Smooth visuals and responsive controls - Optional one-time purchase to remove ads
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Buckets! at none against Catalyst Chain Reaction's 1. Buckets! also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs monthly). Catalyst Chain Reaction's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating and device support 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
Both are free to download. Catalyst Chain Reaction sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Buckets! asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Buckets! against 5.0 for Catalyst Chain Reaction. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buckets! has 34 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Buckets! ships an update daily, Catalyst Chain Reaction monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Buckets! | Catalyst Chain Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (34 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 34 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 103 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | justin baron | Randy Torres |
Customer experience
Buckets!
Catalyst Chain Reaction
In-app purchases
Buckets!
No in-app purchases
Catalyst Chain Reaction
- Remove Ads$2.99
Questions
Is Buckets! free?
Is Catalyst Chain Reaction free?
Which has better reviews, Buckets! or Catalyst Chain Reaction?
Do Buckets! or Catalyst Chain Reaction have ads?
Which is updated more often, Buckets! or Catalyst Chain Reaction?
Other comparisons
