# Shift Lane vs Merchant Mike

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Shift Lane at 100% against Merchant Mike's 13%. Shift Lane also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). Merchant Mike's advantage is ratings volume (134 vs 5). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merchant Mike sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Shift Lane asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shift Lane holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merchant Mike has 134 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Shift Lane's written reviews are positive against 13% of Merchant Mike's.

Shift Lane ships an update every 2 weeks, Merchant Mike every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shift Lane | Merchant Mike |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-lane/id1293773928/reviews)** | [4.6 (134 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-mike/id1631374369/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **134** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 272 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simon Crack](https://appshunter.io/developer/397879610) | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) |

## What reviewers say

### Shift Lane

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-lane/id1293773928)

Tap to change lanes and dodge oncoming obstacles at high speed. Collect gems to unlock new balls and test your reaction time. See how far you can go in this challenging arcade game.

**Highlights:** Lane changing with a tap, Obstacle avoidance, Gem collection, Unlockable balls (30+), High-speed gameplay

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Merchant Mike

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-mike/id1631374369)

Engage in challenging triple-tile matching puzzles to earn in-game currency. Use your earnings to expand and upgrade various business ventures, from street food stalls to gift shops, in a colorful and entertaining world.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of unique matching puzzle levels, Earn coins and gems, Expand and upgrade business ventures, Unlock new locations and items, Utilize boosters and perks, Invest rewards for business growth

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Weekly Membership | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Coin Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 2 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 3 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Coin pack 4 | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shift Lane free?

Shift Lane is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Merchant Mike free?

Merchant Mike is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shift Lane or Merchant Mike?

Shift Lane is rated higher. Shift Lane averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Merchant Mike averages 4.6 from 134 ratings.

### Do Shift Lane or Merchant Mike have ads?

Merchant Mike shows ads; Shift Lane does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shift Lane or Merchant Mike?

Shift Lane ships an update every 2 weeks, and Merchant Mike every 5 weeks. Most recently, Shift Lane was updated on November 6, 2026 and Merchant Mike on November 3, 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.*