# Merge Mayor vs Brain Explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Brain Explorer at 100% against Merge Mayor's 64%. Brain Explorer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 14) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Merge Mayor's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (27K vs 6). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge Mayor sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Brain Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brain Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merge Mayor has 27K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Merge Mayor's written reviews are positive against 100% of Brain Explorer's.

Merge Mayor ships an update every 4 days, Brain Explorer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merge Mayor | Brain Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-mayor/id1487461340/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-explorer/id1490281801/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 63.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 377 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starberry Games GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1228073651) | [thkp, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556761728) |

## What reviewers say

### Merge Mayor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-mayor/id1487461340)

Become the new Mayor and transform a small town into a thriving metropolis. Solve match puzzles, build, organize, and upgrade your city. Enjoy fresh 3D graphics, discover hidden stories, and unlock new areas in this relaxing yet challenging game.

**Highlights:** Build and upgrade your city, Solve merge puzzles, Repair and renovate homes, Discover hidden stories, Unlock new areas, Fresh 3D graphics, Seasonal items and events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer S | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Shop Offer S | $1.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer M | $2.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hat full of gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer L | $4.99 | one-time |
| Safe key | $4.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer | $5.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer | $6.99 | one-time |
| Box of gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Shop Offer XL | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 No forced ads
- 👍 Cute and appealing graphics
- 💡 Generous rewards for watching optional ads
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Ability to progress without spending money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Energy system depletes quickly
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes after recent updates
- 🔋 Slow energy recharge time
- 💰 Progression feels gated by in-app purchases
- 🔋 Limited storage space requiring frequent selling/trashing of items

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes when trying to claim rewards
- Ads sometimes fail to load or freeze the game
- Progression blocked due to inability to unlock new areas

**Requested features**

- Ability to sell/trade excess items
- Faster energy recharge
- More storage space
- Ability to skip or dismiss pop-up bubbles
- More varied and frequent content updates


### Brain Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-explorer/id1490281801)

Engage in fun, scientifically-backed games to test your cognitive abilities. Compare your brainpower with others and contribute to neuroscience research. Explore a galaxy-themed adventure while unlocking new challenges and earning achievements.

**Highlights:** Play brain-testing games, Compare brain scores with others, Win medals and unlock games, Help scientists understand the brain, Space-themed exploration, Anonymous data collection

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merge Mayor free?

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

### Is Brain Explorer free?

Brain Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Merge Mayor or Brain Explorer?

Brain Explorer is rated higher. Merge Mayor averages 4.8 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Brain Explorer averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Merge Mayor or Brain Explorer have ads?

Neither Merge Mayor nor Brain Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Merge Mayor or Brain Explorer?

Merge Mayor ships an update every 4 days, and Brain Explorer monthly. Most recently, Merge Mayor was updated on October 19, 2026 and Brain Explorer 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.*