# 15.Puzzle vs Cardinal Chains

The clearest difference is price: 15.Puzzle at Free against Cardinal Chains's $2.99. 15.Puzzle also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). Cardinal Chains's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (24 vs 4). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

15.Puzzle is free to download; Cardinal Chains costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Cardinal Chains holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cardinal Chains has 24 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

15.Puzzle ships an update every 3 weeks, Cardinal Chains every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 15.Puzzle | Cardinal Chains |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/15puzzle/id1281502300/reviews) | **[4.9 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardinal-chains/id1339737509/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **24** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 12 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bothina Elzoobi](https://appshunter.io/developer/991489487) | [Daniel Nora](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199363689) |

## What reviewers say

### 15.Puzzle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/15puzzle/id1281502300)

Transform your personal photos into engaging sliding tile puzzles. Enjoy daily curated challenges, track your progress, and compete with others globally. Play quick, satisfying rounds anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Create puzzles from personal photos, Daily curated puzzles, Two difficulty levels (3x3, 4x4), Global leaderboards, Smart hint system, Share solved puzzles

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cardinal Chains

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardinal-chains/id1339737509)

A minimalist puzzle game where players link numbers in non-decreasing sequences to fill a monochrome grid with color. It offers a relaxing experience with a handcrafted soundtrack and elegant design, free from timers or ads.

**Highlights:** 500 unique handcrafted puzzles, Non-decreasing sequence gameplay, Chill-out soundtrack, Minimalist design, Customizable color themes, Achievements and cloud saves

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 15.Puzzle free?

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

### Is Cardinal Chains free?

Cardinal Chains costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 15.Puzzle or Cardinal Chains?

Cardinal Chains is rated higher. 15.Puzzle averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Cardinal Chains averages 4.9 from 24 ratings.

### Do 15.Puzzle or Cardinal Chains have ads?

Neither 15.Puzzle nor Cardinal Chains shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 15.Puzzle or Cardinal Chains?

15.Puzzle ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cardinal Chains every 5 months. Most recently, 15.Puzzle was updated on October 2, 2026 and Cardinal Chains on October 8, 2026.

---

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