# Cardinal Chains vs AKAI

The clearest difference is price: AKAI at Free against Cardinal Chains's $2.99. AKAI also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Cardinal Chains's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (24 vs 2). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

AKAI is free to download; Cardinal Chains costs $2.99 up front. AKAI sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Cardinal Chains asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Cardinal Chains against 5.0 for AKAI. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cardinal Chains has 24 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, AKAI every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 8, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cardinal Chains | AKAI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.9 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardinal-chains/id1339737509/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/akai-spot-the-difference/id1454094340/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 101 MB | 187 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) | [CR Game](https://appshunter.io/developer/983332959) |

## 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


### AKAI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/akai-spot-the-difference/id1454094340)

Engage your brain with a picture puzzle game where you must find five differences between two similar images. Progress through multiple challenging levels, collect stars, and use hints to sharpen your observation skills. It's an addictive challenge for puzzle enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Find 5 differences between 2 photos, Multiple challenging levels, Collect stars and earn high scores, Use hints to find differences, Great design and entertaining sounds

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ruby 100 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Ruby 300 | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cardinal Chains free?

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

### Is AKAI free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cardinal Chains or AKAI?

AKAI is rated higher. Cardinal Chains averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while AKAI averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Cardinal Chains or AKAI have ads?

Neither Cardinal Chains nor AKAI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cardinal Chains or AKAI?

Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, and AKAI every 3 weeks. Most recently, Cardinal Chains was updated on July 8, 2026 and AKAI on September 22, 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.*