# The Jackbox vs Mystery Box 2

The clearest difference is ads: Mystery Box 2 at none against The Jackbox's shown. Mystery Box 2 also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 24 months) and review sentiment (58% vs 36%). The Jackbox's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (751 vs 187). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Jackbox sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Mystery Box 2 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Jackbox holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 751 and 187 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of The Jackbox's written reviews are positive against 58% of Mystery Box 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Jackbox ships an update every 24 months, Mystery Box 2 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Jackbox | Mystery Box 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (751 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-jackbox/id1472996482/reviews)** | [4.3 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mystery-box-2-evolution/id1602469284/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **751** | 187 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **57.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 24 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 422 MB | 152 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [MOBIPLAY OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/563180181) | [XSGames](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725979641) |

## What reviewers say

### The Jackbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-jackbox/id1472996482)

Solve intricate mechanical puzzles and riddles within mysterious boxes before they explode. Uncover a spooky circus story and its secrets through over 60 unique challenges. Enjoy stunning graphics, an authentic soundtrack, and choose between single-player or cooperative multiplayer modes.

**Highlights:** Solve mechanical puzzles and riddles, Over 60 unique puzzle boxes, Stunning circus atmosphere graphics, Engaging mind-blowing story, Normal and AR modes, Single-player and multiplayer options

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces | $1.99 | one-time |
| Blue Box Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Yellow Box Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| White Box Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Purple Box Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Green Box Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Pack | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Enjoyable puzzles
- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Nice graphics
- 🤡 Creepy/spooky theme

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of instructions
- 🔌 Overheating issues
- 🔦 Disruptive lighting/shaking effects
- 🕰️ Timed puzzles can be frustrating
- 🔁 Repetitive puzzles

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to progress past certain levels
- Ads not working properly
- Frequent crashes

**Requested features**

- Option to disable lighting/shaking effects
- Ability to collect all puzzle pieces
- More challenging puzzles
- Landscape mode support
- Cross-save functionality


### Mystery Box 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mystery-box-2-evolution/id1602469284)

Engage your mind with a 3D escape room puzzle experience. Manipulate interactive boxes, discover hidden artifacts, and solve challenging riddles. Unlock bonus levels and enjoy immersive graphics and chilling music.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D boxes, Hidden artifact discovery, Challenging riddles, Unlockable bonus levels, Realistic graphics, Hint system

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |
| Premium + Coffee | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium + Love | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Mind stimulating game
- 💡 Out of the box thinking
- 😌 Relaxing and calming soundtrack
- ✨ Great graphics
- 👍 Good brain teasers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😩 Too easy/boring
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💸 Paid for full game, not downloading
-  frustrating
- 😵 Puzzles are obscure/incomprehensible

**Reported bugs**

- Game not downloading after purchase
- Glitches preventing mini-game completion
- Artifacts not counting correctly (e.g., 15/16 instead of 16/16)
- Elements dislodged from the box, making them non-functional
- Elements not working initially, then working later

**Requested features**

- Fix bugs and glitches
- Improve tutorial functionality
- Ensure game progress is saved across devices
- Add more background clues
- Fix artifact counting issues


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Jackbox free?

The Jackbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mystery Box 2 free?

Mystery Box 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Jackbox or Mystery Box 2?

The Jackbox is rated higher. The Jackbox averages 4.6 out of 5 from 751 ratings, while Mystery Box 2 averages 4.3 from 187 ratings.

### Do The Jackbox or Mystery Box 2 have ads?

The Jackbox shows ads; Mystery Box 2 does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Jackbox or Mystery Box 2?

The Jackbox ships an update every 24 months, and Mystery Box 2 every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Jackbox was updated on October 15, 2026 and Mystery Box 2 on October 16, 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.*