# BLあるある vs POOLS™

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BLあるある at none against POOLS™'s 1. BLあるある also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (12.5 vs 15.6). POOLS™'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 68 months). On price, review sentiment and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. POOLS™ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BLあるある asks for nothing beyond the download.

BLあるある holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: POOLS™ has 1.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of BLあるある's written reviews are positive against 79% of POOLS™'s.

BLあるある ships an update every 68 months, POOLS™ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BLあるある | POOLS™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bl/id1383558573/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **82.4% of reviews** | 78.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 68 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 194 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.5** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [MIKU KURAKI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1161306102) | [Tensori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767614989) |

## What reviewers say

### BLあるある

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bl/id1383558573)

This app collects and presents common tropes and situations found in Boys' Love (BL) manga. Users can read manga, answer trivia questions about BL "aruaru" (common occurrences), and discover new BL stories. It features various character pairings and scenarios.

**Highlights:** BL manga "aruaru" collection, Manga reading, Trivia quizzes, Character pairing scenarios, 13 featured manga titles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### POOLS™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878)

This app offers a slow, reflective, and immersive experience focused on exploration and atmosphere. It evokes feelings of unease and curiosity through its unique environments, inspired by liminal spaces and internet phenomena. Discover changing worlds and subtle narratives without traditional gameplay mechanics.

**Highlights:** Slow, reflective exploration, Atmospheric and immersive environments, Inspired by liminal spaces, Unfolding narrative through exploration, Six distinct chapters, Unique sound design

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| POOLS: Full Game | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Immersive experience
- 🔒 No ads
- 👍 Incredible attention to detail
- 👍 Realistic graphics and sound
- 👍 Eerie and creepy atmosphere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Boring after a while
- 🐛 Lack of variety in environments

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to move on iPad Pro
- Glitches reported

**Requested features**

- Expand to different Backrooms-inspired themes
- Add a multiplayer mode
- Introduce more interactive elements (e.g., monsters, items to discover)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BLあるある free?

BLあるある is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is POOLS™ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BLあるある or POOLS™?

BLあるある is rated higher. BLあるある averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while POOLS™ averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do BLあるある or POOLS™ have ads?

BLあるある shows ads; POOLS™ does not.

### Which is updated more often, BLあるある or POOLS™?

BLあるある ships an update every 68 months, and POOLS™ every 2 months. Most recently, BLあるある was updated on September 8, 2026 and POOLS™ on September 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.*