# Cardinal Chains vs Drain Brain

The clearest difference is price: Drain Brain at Free against Cardinal Chains's $2.99. Drain Brain also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 5 months). Cardinal Chains's advantage is ratings volume (24 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Drain Brain is free to download; Cardinal Chains costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Cardinal Chains against 5.0 for Drain Brain. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cardinal Chains has 24 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, Drain Brain daily. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cardinal Chains | Drain Brain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.9 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardinal-chains/id1339737509/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drain-brain/id6758406110/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 101 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Nora](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199363689) | [Symbolic Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/613116232) |

## 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, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Drain Brain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drain-brain/id6758406110)

A retro-styled puzzle game where players connect pipes on a grid to create a path for flowing liquid. Score points by filling pipes and race against the clock to fix dead ends before the flow stops. Features include various pipe types, a smart queue, and bombs to correct mistakes.

**Highlights:** Pipe connection puzzles, Retro LCD handheld style, Progressive difficulty, Smart queue system, Game Center leaderboards, Original soundtrack

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cardinal Chains free?

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

### Is Drain Brain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cardinal Chains or Drain Brain?

Drain Brain is rated higher. Cardinal Chains averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Drain Brain averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Cardinal Chains or Drain Brain have ads?

Neither Cardinal Chains nor Drain Brain shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cardinal Chains or Drain Brain?

Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, and Drain Brain daily. Most recently, Cardinal Chains was updated on October 8, 2026 and Drain Brain on October 2, 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.*