# A.L.I.C.E vs Merge Cafe

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: A.L.I.C.E at none against Merge Cafe's 10. A.L.I.C.E also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (89% vs 67%). Merge Cafe's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge Cafe sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. A.L.I.C.E asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for A.L.I.C.E against 4.4 for Merge Cafe. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 8 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of A.L.I.C.E's written reviews are positive against 67% of Merge Cafe's.

A.L.I.C.E ships an update every 3 months, Merge Cafe every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A.L.I.C.E | Merge Cafe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alice/id1308819837/reviews)** | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-cafe-cooking-theme/id6535655742/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 806 MB | 330 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The University of New South Wales](https://appshunter.io/developer/475256539) | [Sonat Joint Stock Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473232089) |

## What reviewers say

### A.L.I.C.E

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alice/id1308819837)

This retro-style 2D platformer educates players about common cyber security threats and countermeasures. Navigate through levels, solve puzzles, and use your wits to defeat cyber threats and retrieve your stolen identity.

**Highlights:** Retro 2D platformer gameplay, Cyber security threat education, Puzzle solving, Avatar customization, AI assistant for tips, 5 challenging levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Merge Cafe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-cafe-cooking-theme/id6535655742)

Combine identical items to create delicious dishes and serve customers in this culinary adventure. Unlock new rooms and renovate your dream home as you progress through challenging merge puzzles. Enjoy mouthwatering visuals and a relaxing experience.

**Highlights:** Match and merge items to create dishes, Serve customers and earn rewards, Unlock and renovate rooms in your dream home, Solve 500+ unique puzzle levels, Enjoy ASMR visuals and sounds, Use powerful boosters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Weekend Sale | $3.99 | one-time |
| No ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| No ads just fun | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin 3 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Extra bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| Coin 4 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Coin 5 | $49.99 | one-time |
| Coin 6 | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A.L.I.C.E free?

A.L.I.C.E is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Merge Cafe free?

Merge Cafe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, A.L.I.C.E or Merge Cafe?

A.L.I.C.E is rated higher. A.L.I.C.E averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Merge Cafe averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do A.L.I.C.E or Merge Cafe have ads?

Merge Cafe shows ads; A.L.I.C.E does not.

### Which is updated more often, A.L.I.C.E or Merge Cafe?

A.L.I.C.E ships an update every 3 months, and Merge Cafe every 4 days. Most recently, A.L.I.C.E was updated on November 4, 2026 and Merge Cafe on October 30, 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.*