Comparison

ilu vs Space Merge X

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

Head to head
About

ilu

This logic puzzle game challenges you to illuminate dark areas by strategically placing lights. As you terraform barren planets and spread light, watch them transform with vibrant, animated life. Discover clever solutions and enjoy a relaxing, dynamic experience.

Highlights
  • Infinite relaxing logic puzzles
  • Illuminate dark areas with light
  • Terraform barren planets
  • Discover clever solutions
  • Dynamic music
  • Animated hint system
Features
Read full description

ilu is a puzzle game. In every puzzle, all that is dark must light up. You place a light by tapping a dark area. You will discover clever ways to place the lights as you play the game. STORY: ilu is light. You are a keeper of light. In the vast void of space, countless lost worlds drift in the dark. Planets that have lost their star mothers and are too far and cold for the rays of starlight to warm their dark and frozen features. It is your mission to terraform these barren planets. As you spread light through the worlds of ilu, watch the ground light up while colorful and beautifully animated plants sprout as the entire world gently teems with life. FEATURES: • Infinite relaxing logic puzzles solved with light • Simple rules that create compelling solutions • Dynamic music that responds to your play • An animated & intelligent hint system that teaches & guides your way The puzzles of ilu can be solved with pure logic alone. We wanted to share the wonderful "aha!" moments of discovering the solutions with you. ilu is supported with ads, but you have the option to permanently remove the ads from the game with an in-app purchase.

About

Space Merge X

Merge identical planets by placing them on a circle to complete levels and discover new celestial bodies. Utilize boosters to strategically delete or merge planets, accelerating your journey through the cosmos. Enjoy a relaxing puzzle experience as you expand your planetary collection.

Highlights
  • Planet merging gameplay
  • Level completion for discovery
  • Booster items
  • Planet deletion option
  • Intuitive controls
Features
Read full description

Place three identical planets on the circle near each other, complete levels to discover new planets. Boosters will help you to merge planets like a pro: delete a planet you don't need, merge any two planets to discover new planets faster. Enjoy the game.

Screenshots

ilu4 screens
Space Merge X3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ilu at 4.7 against Space Merge X's 3.8. ilu also leads on ratings volume (2.1K vs 8) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. ilu sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Space Merge X sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ilu holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ilu has 2.1K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ilu ships an update every 3 weeks, Space Merge X every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ilu versus Space Merge X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriluSpace Merge X
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.1K ratings) — better3.8 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews69.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.1K — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size535 MB97 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperBrainium Studios LLCEgor Kunovsky

Customer experience

ilu

All ratings2,123 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral4.1%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews172 reviews
Positive69.2%
Neutral8.7%
Negative22.1%

Space Merge X

All ratings8 ratings
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

ilu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch for some users
  • Placement of markers and lights not always registering correctly
  • Recent update changed visuals in a way that made the game less clear

Requested features

4 requests
  • Zoom or pan functionality for larger puzzles
  • Separate marker and light placement modes
  • Progress tracking and ability to replay past puzzles
  • More variety in background music tracks

Space Merge X

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

ilu

One-time9
  • 100 Ad-Free Puzzles$0.99
  • Terra Suit$0.99
  • Turbo Suit$1.99
Show 6 more
  • The Botanic$1.99
  • Pod$2.99
  • Spectral Suit$3.99
  • Chromus$4.99
  • Ayianna$6.99
  • Unlock Ad-Free$7.99
1 purchases

Space Merge X

One-time1
  • Unlimited Boosters$1.99

Questions

Is ilu free?
ilu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Space Merge X free?
Space Merge X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ilu or Space Merge X?
ilu is rated higher. ilu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Space Merge X averages 3.8 from 8 ratings.
Do ilu or Space Merge X have ads?
Neither ilu nor Space Merge X shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ilu or Space Merge X?
ilu ships an update every 3 weeks, and Space Merge X every 3 months. Most recently, ilu was updated on October 29, 2026 and Space Merge X on October 26, 2026.

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