# ilu vs Space Merge X

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | ilu | Space Merge X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilu/id1271512200/reviews)** | [3.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-merge-x-planets-fun/id1522465254/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 69.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 535 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Brainium Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/300891405) | [Egor Kunovsky](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810232243) |

## What reviewers say

### ilu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ilu/id1271512200)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Ad-Free Puzzles | $0.99 | one-time |
| Terra Suit | $0.99 | one-time |
| Turbo Suit | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Botanic | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pod | $2.99 | one-time |
| Spectral Suit | $3.99 | one-time |
| Chromus | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ayianna | $6.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Ad-Free | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🎶 Relaxing and soothing music
- 🧠 Challenging and stimulating puzzles
- 🆓 Free hints and no pay-to-win mechanics
- 🕹️ Simple but unique gameplay mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤏 Small touch targets, especially on larger puzzles
- 🤔 Difficulty in distinguishing markers from lights
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 📉 Lack of progress tracking or replay options

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-merge-x-planets-fun/id1522465254)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Boosters | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*