# Grindstone vs Simon's Cat

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simon's Cat at free against Grindstone's paid. Simon's Cat also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 78%). Grindstone's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Grindstone against 4.8 for Simon's Cat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.7K and 9.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Grindstone's written reviews are positive against 87% of Simon's Cat's.

Grindstone ships an update every 6 weeks, Simon's Cat monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Grindstone | Simon's Cat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grindstone/id1357426636/reviews) | **[4.8 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simons-cat-blast-time/id1535011471/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6.7K | **9.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 78.1% of reviews | **87.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 988 MB | 639 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Capybara Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/424912058) | [Tactile Games Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1400704108) |

## What reviewers say

### Grindstone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grindstone/id1357426636)

Engage in a challenging puzzle-battle game where you slash your way up a treacherous mountain. Cleave through swarms of enemies, battle bosses, and discover blueprints for powerful gear. Over 200 levels of intense puzzle-battling await.

**Highlights:** Sword-slashing puzzle battles, Over 200 levels, Battle bosses, Loot resources, Discover gear blueprints, Cleave deadly foes

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique and charming art style
- 🎨 Excellent soundtrack and sound effects
- 💡 Satisfying chain combos
- 🕹️ Intuitive and challenging mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- ⏱️ Unskippable animations
- 🔄 Progress loss when switching apps
- 🤔 Difficulty spike in later levels

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on black screen after intro
- Inability to complete certain levels due to glitches
- Disappearing save data after updates

**Requested features**

- More levels and content updates
- Ability to save progress mid-level
- Option to disable animations
- Landscape mode support on iPad
- In-game enemy encyclopedia


### Simon's Cat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simons-cat-blast-time/id1535011471)

Embark on a Match 3 puzzle adventure with a beloved cat character. Solve thousands of levels to uncover garden secrets and renovate unique environments. Compete in tournaments and enjoy an expansive story.

**Highlights:** Thousands of Match 3 levels, Garden renovation and exploration, Expansive story with twists, Tournaments for competition, Create powerful combos, Use special puzzle pieces

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Cute and engaging story
- 💡 No in-app purchases or ads
- 👍 Relaxing and casual experience
- 👍 Enjoyable puzzles and challenges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashing and freezing issues
- 🐛 Progress loss and save issues
- 🐛 Leaderboard and event bugs
- 💡 Difficulty scaling too steep
- 💡 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Levels not progressing after completion
- Rewards not registering correctly
- Crashes when switching between apps
- Freezing during certain game modes

**Requested features**

- More garden and decoration options
- Ability to skip or replay levels
- Option to convert stars/coins to continue
- Improved leaderboard and event mechanics
- Ability to name and personalize animals


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Grindstone free?

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

### Is Simon's Cat free?

Simon's Cat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Grindstone or Simon's Cat?

Simon's Cat is rated higher. Grindstone averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while Simon's Cat averages 4.8 from 9.8K ratings.

### Do Grindstone or Simon's Cat have ads?

Neither Grindstone nor Simon's Cat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Grindstone or Simon's Cat?

Grindstone ships an update every 6 weeks, and Simon's Cat monthly. Most recently, Grindstone was updated on September 26, 2026 and Simon's Cat on September 25, 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.*