# Shift Shaft vs Kavel

The clearest difference is rating: Shift Shaft at 4.9 against Kavel's 4.7. Shift Shaft also leads on ratings volume (143 vs 26). Kavel's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $2.99). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Shift Shaft costs $2.99 and Kavel $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shift Shaft holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shift Shaft has 143 ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Shift Shaft ships an update fortnightly, Kavel every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shift Shaft | Kavel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (143 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-shaft/id1387207777/reviews)** | [4.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kavel/id1508131791/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **143** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 34 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [William Katz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387207776) | [Jerry Verhoeven](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508131790) |

## What reviewers say

### Shift Shaft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-shaft/id1387207777)

This puzzle game challenges players to match three or more rocks by rotating the entire game board. Upgrade your character's stats and unlock items as you explore an underground world and battle unique enemies. Enjoy an uninterrupted gaming experience with no ads or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Rotate the game board, Match 3 or more rocks, Upgrade player stats, Unlock over 30 items, Battle 5 unique enemies, Explore underground world

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative rotate screen mechanic
- 👍 Easy to learn, hard to master
- 💎 Rare hidden gem
- 🧠 Clever and entertaining design
- ✨ Adds a breath of fresh air

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Graphics could be less pixelated
- 🤔 Difficult to pick up strategies
- ⏳ Mid-run save feature missing

**Requested features**

- Non-pixelated graphics
- Mid-run save option


### Kavel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kavel/id1508131791)

This puzzle arcade game combines elements of classic block puzzles and match-3 mechanics. Rotate and drag falling shapes onto a grid to score points, with three distinct modes offering different challenges and pacing.

**Highlights:** Block puzzle and match-3 gameplay, Three game modes: Casual, Frenzy, Zen, Achievements and leaderboards, Customizable color palettes, Colorblind-friendly design, Optimized for all devices

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shift Shaft free?

Shift Shaft costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Kavel free?

Kavel costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shift Shaft or Kavel?

Shift Shaft is rated higher. Shift Shaft averages 4.9 out of 5 from 143 ratings, while Kavel averages 4.7 from 26 ratings.

### Do Shift Shaft or Kavel have ads?

Neither Shift Shaft nor Kavel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shift Shaft or Kavel?

Shift Shaft ships an update fortnightly, and Kavel every 3 weeks. Most recently, Shift Shaft was updated on October 21, 2026 and Kavel on October 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*