# Merge Magic! vs Three in a Row Duel

The clearest difference is rating: Merge Magic! at 4.8 against Three in a Row Duel's 4.0. Merge Magic! also leads on ratings volume (91K vs 1) and chart position (#60 vs unranked). Three in a Row Duel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge Magic! sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Three in a Row Duel asks for nothing beyond the download.

Merge Magic! holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merge Magic! has 91K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Merge Magic! ships an update fortnightly, Three in a Row Duel every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merge Magic! | Three in a Row Duel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (91K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-magic/id1462419002/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-in-a-row-duel/id6772803398/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **91K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 58.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#60** | — |
| Size | 343 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gram Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1202264615) | [John Doan](https://appshunter.io/developer/6771974020) |

## What reviewers say

### Merge Magic!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-magic/id1462419002)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Grossing · Family (US App Store)

Combine magical items, eggs, and creatures to create more powerful ones and restore a cursed land. Solve puzzles, hatch mythical beings, and nurture your garden in this enchanting adventure.

**Highlights:** Combine over 500 objects, Hatch and evolve mythical creatures, Solve 81 challenging puzzle levels, Lift a curse from a bewitched land, Participate in frequent events, Discover unique hybrid creatures

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30 Day Magic Gem Payout | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Land | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Magic Gems | $6.99 | one-time |
| Premium Land | $8.99 | one-time |
| Goblet of Magic Gems | $12.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pass | $12.99 | one-time |
| Bowl of Magic Gems | $24.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Magic Gems | $59.99 | one-time |
| Wagon of Magic Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Relaxing and addictive gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful and creative creature designs
- 🕹️ Satisfying merging mechanics
- 🔍 Enjoyable event challenges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- ⏱️ Slow progression due to limited resources
- 🐛 Technical issues like crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Lack of cloud save functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Creatures disappearing from garden
- Inability to sell or delete items
- Compasses not properly regenerating
- Compatibility issues with device updates

**Requested features**

- More frequent level updates
- Ability to delete or sell unwanted items
- Shorter cooldown times for creatures and compasses
- More ways to earn premium currency without spending money


### Three in a Row Duel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-in-a-row-duel/id6772803398)

A clean and classic take on the familiar 3-in-a-row game. Enjoy quick matches against friends on one device or challenge the computer with adjustable difficulty levels. Track player statistics and game history locally for a private gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Two players on one device, Play against computer, Three computer difficulty levels, Named-player leaderboard, Game history and statistics, No ads, accounts, or tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merge Magic! free?

Merge Magic! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Three in a Row Duel free?

Three in a Row Duel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Merge Magic! or Three in a Row Duel?

Merge Magic! is rated higher. Merge Magic! averages 4.8 out of 5 from 91K ratings, while Three in a Row Duel averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Merge Magic! or Three in a Row Duel have ads?

Merge Magic! shows ads; Three in a Row Duel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Merge Magic! or Three in a Row Duel?

Merge Magic! ships an update fortnightly, and Three in a Row Duel every 2 weeks. Most recently, Merge Magic! was updated on November 13, 2026 and Three in a Row Duel on November 10, 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.*