# Thorn And Balloons vs Cube Solver 3D

Thorn And Balloons and Cube Solver 3D both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Cube Solver 3D's written reviews are positive against 33% of Thorn And Balloons's. Cube Solver 3D also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). Thorn And Balloons's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Thorn And Balloons sells 19 one-off in-app purchases and Cube Solver 3D sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Thorn And Balloons against 4.8 for Cube Solver 3D. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cube Solver 3D has 262K ratings behind it against 52K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 33% of Thorn And Balloons's written reviews are positive against 92% of Cube Solver 3D's.

Thorn And Balloons ships an update every 9 days, Cube Solver 3D every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thorn And Balloons | Cube Solver 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (52K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thorn-and-balloons/id1611756991/reviews) | **[4.8 (262K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cube-solver-3d/id1673039373/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 52K | **262K** |
| Positive reviews | 33.2% of reviews | **92.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#15** |
| Size | 215 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fun Space Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591562338) | [LOLAGRE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673039375) |

## What reviewers say

### Thorn And Balloons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thorn-and-balloons/id1611756991)

Launch a thorn ball to bounce off walls and pop all the balloons. Master strength and angle to overcome physics-based challenges and win levels. This casual game offers a relaxing yet mentally stimulating experience with abstract graphics.

**Highlights:** Launch thorn ball with adjustable strength and angle, Bouncing physics simulation, Pop balloons by contact, Multiple challenging levels, Abstract graphics, Brain-training gameplay

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Money Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hint Item Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Balloon Skin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Magnet Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Shield Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cash Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Memory Item Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Money Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hint Item Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Memory Item Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Shield Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Magnet Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads Offer | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and relaxing gameplay
- 👍 Satisfying balloon popping
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads disrupting gameplay
- 🤯 Frustratingly difficult levels
- 🤔 Inconsistent hint/memory system

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes on launch for some users
- Progress reset or levels skipped unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Offline mode without ads
- More level variety and progression
- Ability to create custom levels


### Cube Solver 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cube-solver-3d/id1673039373)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Free · Family, #172 Top Free · Puzzle (US App Store)

Solve various 3D puzzles with this app. It provides step-by-step solutions for cubes of different sizes, including Pocket Cube, 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5. It also offers practice modes with timers and statistics for speedcubing, along with lessons and pattern creation tools.

**Highlights:** Solves multiple cube types (2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5), Provides optimal move solutions, Speedcubing practice with timer and stats, Learning lessons for puzzle solving, Custom pattern creation, Solves Skewb, Skewb Diamond, Pyraminx, Ivy Cube

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $12.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solves cubes quickly
- 👍 Helpful step-by-step instructions
- 🙂 Able to solve various cube types
- 💰 Free to use with no in-app purchases
- 🎉 Impressive cube solving abilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with cube detection
- ⚠️ Needs precise color input
- 🕰️ Time-consuming to input colors
- 📺 Frequent ads interrupting use

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect solutions for some cube configurations
- App crashes when trying to solve certain cubes

**Requested features**

- Add more cube types (e.g. 5x5, 6x6)
- Implement camera-based cube scanning
- Allow customizing color input method
- Reduce ad frequency or provide ad-free option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thorn And Balloons free?

Thorn And Balloons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cube Solver 3D free?

Cube Solver 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Thorn And Balloons or Cube Solver 3D?

Cube Solver 3D is rated higher. Thorn And Balloons averages 4.7 out of 5 from 52K ratings, while Cube Solver 3D averages 4.8 from 262K ratings.

### Do Thorn And Balloons or Cube Solver 3D have ads?

Both Thorn And Balloons and Cube Solver 3D show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thorn And Balloons or Cube Solver 3D?

Thorn And Balloons ships an update every 9 days, and Cube Solver 3D every 3 weeks. Most recently, Thorn And Balloons was updated on October 28, 2026 and Cube Solver 3D on October 28, 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.*