Comparison

Spireworks vs SideQuest

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Spireworks

Control iconic building spire lights from your phone, choosing colors and special effects. Request an invite to participate in this unique experience and support charitable causes.

Highlights
  • Sign in and control spire lights
  • Select colors and special effects
  • View real-time light changes
  • Support charities and special events
  • Request an invite
Features
Read full description

Transform the skyline with a touch. Select refined colors and animations, and watch the city respond in real time. Experience a dynamic calendar of skyline lighting events. Select moments are interactive, giving members and guests the ability to shape the lights in real time. Show your support along the way. Spireworks partners with cause-based nonprofit organizations throughout the year, using special moments on the skyline to raise awareness and spotlight their work.

About

SideQuest

Discover and complete real-life quests designed to turn ordinary days into small adventures. Earn XP, collect badges, and document your experiences in a personal journal. Packs can be unlocked with one-time purchases.

Highlights
  • Curated quest packs
  • Real-life challenges
  • XP and badge system
  • Personal quest journal
  • Solo or group play
  • One-time pack purchases
Features
Read full description

Find fun things to do, solo or with friends. SideQuest turns everyday life into real-life quests: creative challenges, small detours, and new experiences worth remembering. FIND YOUR KIND OF FUN Choose a themed quest pack that fits you. Get creative with Make It Weird, slow down with Soft Reset, or try a bold ask with Rejection Therapy. See each quest's time, cost, and challenge before you start, then go at your own pace. GO SOLO OR BRING FRIENDS Take yourself on a little adventure or give your group chat a plan. Invite a friend to a quest and they can join that quest for free with a SideQuest account. They do not need to buy the pack. MAKE A MEMORY. KEEP THE STORY. Capture photos and notes as you complete quests. Your Journal keeps your completed adventures and memories together, ready to revisit. LEVEL UP IN REAL LIFE Earn XP, reach new levels, and collect badges as you complete quests. Your progress grows with every adventure. PACKS YOU KEEP Try your first quest and browse the packs. Unlock Originals with one-time purchases, individually using Pack Keys or together in the Originals Vault. No subscription. Give your day a plot twist. Pick a quest and go.

Screenshots

Spireworks4 screens
SideQuest4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SideQuest at 5.0 against Spireworks's 3.6. SideQuest also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 58%) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). Spireworks's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SideQuest sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Spireworks asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SideQuest holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spireworks has 135 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Spireworks's written reviews are positive against 100% of SideQuest's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spireworks ships an update every 2 months, SideQuest every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Spireworks versus SideQuest: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpireworksSideQuest
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (135 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews58.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings135 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB392 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSpireworks LLCOMG Career

Customer experience

Spireworks

All ratings133 ratings
Positive58.6%
Neutral9.8%
Negative31.6%
Written reviews36 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral5.6%
Negative36.1%

SideQuest

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Spireworks

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App doesn't work
  • No difference in building lights
  • App requires donation every time
  • App didn't work after donation
  • App shows only yellow, doesn't change spire
Show 3 more
  • App not working on latest OS
  • Error message, try again later
  • Unable to open the app

Requested features

8 requests
  • Subscription all-access fee
  • Fundraiser events
  • Access to all buildings
  • One-time donation option
  • Unlimited access option
Show 3 more
  • Monthly donation option
  • Invite me to the app
  • Send invite link/invitation

SideQuest

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Spireworks

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

SideQuest

One-time4
  • One SideQuest Pack Key$9.99
  • Originals Vault$14.99
  • Discounted Originals Vault$19.99
Show 1 more
  • Originals Vault$34.99

Questions

Is Spireworks free?
Spireworks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SideQuest free?
SideQuest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spireworks or SideQuest?
SideQuest is rated higher. Spireworks averages 3.6 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while SideQuest averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Spireworks or SideQuest have ads?
SideQuest shows ads; Spireworks does not.
Which is updated more often, Spireworks or SideQuest?
Spireworks ships an update every 2 months, and SideQuest every 4 days. Most recently, Spireworks was updated on October 14, 2026 and SideQuest on October 15, 2026.

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