# Stairs vs Shadow DotZ

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Stairs at 68% against Shadow DotZ's 0%. Stairs also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 19 months). Shadow DotZ's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Stairs holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stairs has 24K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Stairs's written reviews are positive against 0% of Shadow DotZ's.

Stairs ships an update every 3 months, Shadow DotZ every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stairs | Shadow DotZ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stairs/id1320535586/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-dotz/id1437889132/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **67.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 174 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ketchapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/528065807) | [Shih ju Yang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1121829754) |

## What reviewers say

### Stairs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stairs/id1320535586)

Embark on a challenging endless journey, testing your bravery as you climb. Dodge deadly spikes, collect valuable rubies, and aim for insane perfect combos to achieve a high score.

**Highlights:** Endless climbing journey, Dodge spikes, Collect rubies, Perform perfect combos, High score challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive game
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Creative and challenging
- 👍 Great for stress relief and boredom
- 👍 Enjoyable for all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and freezing issues
- 💸 Too many ads that interfere with gameplay
- 🔋 Lags on older devices
- 🔒 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Ads popping up during gameplay
- Screen freezing and crashing
- Inconsistent ball movement and controls

**Requested features**

- More challenging levels and modes
- Ability to remove ads
- Improved controls and responsiveness
- Additional ball/character customization options


### Shadow DotZ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-dotz/id1437889132)

An addictive, one-touch game that challenges players to see how far they can progress. It's designed to be a super hard experience, testing your reflexes and endurance.

**Highlights:** One-touch gameplay, Addictive challenge, High difficulty, Endurance testing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stairs free?

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

### Is Shadow DotZ free?

Shadow DotZ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Stairs or Shadow DotZ?

Stairs is rated higher. Stairs averages 4.6 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Shadow DotZ averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Stairs or Shadow DotZ have ads?

Stairs shows ads; Shadow DotZ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stairs or Shadow DotZ?

Stairs ships an update every 3 months, and Shadow DotZ every 19 months. Most recently, Stairs was updated on October 17, 2026 and Shadow DotZ on October 11, 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.*