Comparison

Dig This! vs STEM Defense

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

Head to head
About

Dig This!

Engage your mind with a unique physics-based puzzle game. Dig with your finger to create paths and guide a ball to its destination, overcoming clever challenges and using gravity and momentum to your advantage. Discover thousands of handcrafted levels that test your logic and creativity.

Highlights
  • Unique digging gameplay
  • Realistic physics puzzles
  • Thousands of handcrafted levels
  • Logic and creativity challenges
  • Fun mechanics like bombs
  • Hints and solutions available
Features
Read full description

Dig, think, and solve! Just dig with your finger and guide the ball to the cup. Simple to learn — but every level hides a clever trick waiting to be discovered. Use gravity, momentum, and creativity to crack satisfying physics puzzles. Sometimes you need to build speed. Sometimes objects must collide. And sometimes the simplest path is the smartest one. With over 10,000 handcrafted levels and fresh ones added every week — there's always something new to dig into. Features • Unique digging gameplay found nowhere else • Simple to learn, endlessly satisfying to master • Realistic, physics-based puzzles • 10,000+ handcrafted levels • New levels added every week • Fun mechanics: bombs, multi-colored balls, and more • Clean, colorful 3D graphics • Stuck? Hints and solutions are always available

About

STEM Defense

Features
Read full description

About This Game "STEM Defense" immerses yourself in a strategic battle within the human body, where you manipulate pathways and tower placements on a dynamic hexagonal grid. This educational tower defense game teaches players about the immune system through engaging gameplay, focusing on the defense against microscopic invaders. Key Features Path Expansion: Dynamically extend the pathways pathogens travel to strategically shape each level and increase the effectiveness of your defenses. Tower Placement Strategy: Strategic placement of your towers is essential. Elevate your towers to gain damage bonuses, crucial for optimizing defense effectiveness. Mutation-Based Upgrades: Enhance your defenses through epigenetic modifications, providing temporary boosts, and genetic mutations for permanent enhancements. This mirrors real-life biological defense mechanisms. Experience and Genetic Enhancements: Gain experience to unlock advanced defensive capabilities and permanent genetic upgrades, enhancing your ability to combat pathogens. Varied Enemy Types: Encounter diverse pathogens, each with unique abilities. Develop strategies to handle enemies that can regenerate, accelerate, or spawn additional threats. Endless Replayability: With a multitude of genetic enhancements and adaptive enemy tactics, each game offers new challenges and decisions, ensuring unique experiences with every playthrough. Coming Soon:Acquired immunity mechanics!! Support Independent Development As a solo developer not well-versed in the art of social media, I rely on the support of players like you. If you've enjoyed "STEM Defense," please help spread the word and make it known to others!

Screenshots

Dig This!4 screens
STEM Defense4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Dig This! at Free against STEM Defense's $6.99. STEM Defense's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On 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

Dig This! is free to download; STEM Defense costs $6.99 up front. Dig This! sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. STEM Defense asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dig This! ships an update monthly, STEM Defense every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Dig This! versus STEM Defense: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDig This!STEM Defense
PriceFree — better$6.99
Rating4.7 (632K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews55.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings632K — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size349 MB411 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperRaketspel ABAndrea Carlomaria Sertorio

Bugs and requests

Dig This!

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Levels not saving progress
  • Hints not working as expected
  • Ads not closing properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Earn hints by watching ads or completing levels
  • More levels and content updates
  • Option to reset progress and start over
  • Ability to skip levels without using a hint

STEM Defense

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Dig This!

One-time12
  • Random Skin$0.99
  • Solutions - Small Pack$1.99
  • Easter Levels$3.99
Show 9 more
  • Reduced price 4th of July$3.99
  • Special Offer$4.99
  • Seasonal Event – Easter$4.99
  • No ads$4.99
  • Seasonal event 4th of July$4.99
  • Solutions - Medium Pack$5.99
  • Solutions – Big Pack$14.99
  • Mega Pack$14.99
  • Solutions – Huge Pack$24.99
None

STEM Defense

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dig This! free?
Dig This! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is STEM Defense free?
STEM Defense costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dig This! or STEM Defense have ads?
Dig This! shows ads; STEM Defense does not.
Which is updated more often, Dig This! or STEM Defense?
Dig This! ships an update monthly, and STEM Defense every 3 days. Most recently, Dig This! was updated on October 15, 2026 and STEM Defense on August 22, 2026.

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