# Burning Dot vs The exceptional

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The exceptional at none against Burning Dot's 1. Burning Dot's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Burning Dot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The exceptional asks for nothing beyond the download.

Burning Dot ships an update every 20 months, The exceptional every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Burning Dot | The exceptional |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/burning-dot/id1472138163/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 20 months** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 85 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hristo Zhelev](https://appshunter.io/developer/528949460) | [Asaf Berko](https://appshunter.io/developer/826819740) |

## What reviewers say

### Burning Dot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/burning-dot/id1472138163)

This puzzle game challenges you to guide a bomb to a star using physics, block manipulation, and rope cutting. It offers addictive gameplay perfect for short breaks or extended fun at home.

**Highlights:** Physics-based puzzles, Block manipulation, Rope cutting mechanics, Score 'perfect moves', Addictive gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove All Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### The exceptional

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-exceptional/id1509813841)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Burning Dot free?

Burning Dot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The exceptional free?

The exceptional is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Burning Dot or The exceptional have ads?

Both Burning Dot and The exceptional show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Burning Dot or The exceptional?

Burning Dot ships an update every 20 months, and The exceptional every 29 months. Most recently, Burning Dot was updated on October 11, 2026 and The exceptional on September 30, 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.*