# Cardinal Chains vs Achromatic!

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cardinal Chains at 100% against Achromatic!'s 38%. Cardinal Chains also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 9 months). Achromatic!'s advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Cardinal Chains costs $2.99 and Achromatic! $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. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Cardinal Chains's written reviews are positive against 38% of Achromatic!'s.

Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, Achromatic! every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on July 8, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cardinal Chains | Achromatic! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardinal-chains/id1339737509/reviews)** | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/achromatic/id1434235674/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 38.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 101 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Nora](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199363689) | [Nick Carney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434235673) |

## What reviewers say

### 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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Achromatic!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/achromatic/id1434235674)

A minimalist puzzle game where you connect dots of the same color to achieve a single cohesive hue. Strategically draw lines, utilizing unique dot properties to solve increasingly complex levels. Enjoy a relaxing soundtrack and a smooth difficulty curve with bonus challenges.

**Highlights:** Connect same-colored dots, Unique dot properties, 60 handcrafted levels, 10 bonus levels, Color blind mode, Original soundtrack

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cardinal Chains free?

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

### Is Achromatic! free?

Achromatic! costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cardinal Chains or Achromatic!?

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

### Do Cardinal Chains or Achromatic! have ads?

Neither Cardinal Chains nor Achromatic! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cardinal Chains or Achromatic!?

Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, and Achromatic! every 9 months. Most recently, Cardinal Chains was updated on July 8, 2026 and Achromatic! on August 26, 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.*