# Loco Looper vs Recursive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Loco Looper at none against Recursive's 3. Loco Looper also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 71%) and chart position (#195 vs unranked). Recursive's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On ads, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Loco Looper costs $4.99 and Recursive $2.99 up front. Recursive sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Loco Looper asks for nothing beyond the download.

Recursive holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 110 and 28 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of Loco Looper's written reviews are positive against 71% of Recursive's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Loco Looper ships an update monthly, Recursive every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Loco Looper | Recursive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [4.7 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loco-looper/id1271717438/reviews) | **[4.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recursive-programming-puzzles/id1550504475/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **110** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#195** | — |
| Size | 67 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Vanas](https://appshunter.io/developer/489789508) | [Kidori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550451304) |

## What reviewers say

### Loco Looper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loco-looper/id1271717438)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Paid · Casual (US App Store)

Engage your mind with a unique 3D train puzzle game. Connect track pieces to create perfect paths through charming, handcrafted dioramas. Enjoy cerebral fun with increasingly challenging levels.

**Highlights:** 3D train track puzzles, Handcrafted diorama levels, Challenging brain teasers, Unique pen & ink art style, Natural 3D effect

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Recursive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recursive-programming-puzzles/id1550504475)

A challenging puzzle game where you guide robots to collect gems by creating simple programs. Master recursion and logic with a minimalistic, easy-to-learn language and diverse level elements.

**Highlights:** Learn a simple programming language, Solve puzzles with robots and gems, Master recursion concepts, Explore diverse level elements, Challenging, hard puzzles

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 hint credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20 hint credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 40 hint credits | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Loco Looper free?

Loco Looper costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Recursive free?

Recursive costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Loco Looper or Recursive?

Recursive is rated higher. Loco Looper averages 4.7 out of 5 from 110 ratings, while Recursive averages 4.9 from 28 ratings.

### Do Loco Looper or Recursive have ads?

Neither Loco Looper nor Recursive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Loco Looper or Recursive?

Loco Looper ships an update monthly, and Recursive every 4 days. Most recently, Loco Looper was updated on September 24, 2026 and Recursive on August 29, 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.*