# bitsims vs POOLS™

The clearest difference is rating: POOLS™ at 4.5 against bitsims's 4.0. POOLS™ also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 26 months) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 1). bitsims's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (96% vs 79%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

POOLS™ holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: POOLS™ has 1.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 96% of bitsims's written reviews are positive against 79% of POOLS™'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

bitsims ships an update every 26 months, POOLS™ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | bitsims | POOLS™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitsims/id1434996423/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **95.7% of reviews** | 79.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 26 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 72 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Colin Shockley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1273606109) | [Tensori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767614989) |

## What reviewers say

### bitsims

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitsims/id1434996423)

Experience a lifelike simulation where you can freely pursue love and build a beautiful family with your partner. This game offers a nurturing experience focused on relationships and shared life goals.

**Highlights:** Lifelike simulation world, Romantic relationship building, Family creation, Nurturing gameplay, Cooperative play with partner

**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 bitsims free?

bitsims 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, bitsims or POOLS™?

POOLS™ is rated higher. bitsims averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while POOLS™ averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do bitsims or POOLS™ have ads?

Neither bitsims nor POOLS™ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, bitsims or POOLS™?

bitsims ships an update every 26 months, and POOLS™ every 2 months. Most recently, bitsims was updated on September 28, 2026 and POOLS™ on October 12, 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.*