# Merge & Shoot! vs Barrel Evolution

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Merge & Shoot! at 56% against Barrel Evolution's 0%. Merge & Shoot! also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (318 vs 3). Barrel Evolution's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge & Shoot! sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Barrel Evolution asks for nothing beyond the download.

Merge & Shoot! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merge & Shoot! has 318 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Merge & Shoot!'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Barrel Evolution's.

Merge & Shoot! ships an update fortnightly, Barrel Evolution every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merge & Shoot! | Barrel Evolution |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (318 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-and-shoot/id1625879244/reviews)** | [2.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrel-evolution/id6459922345/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **318** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **56.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 269 MB | 161 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 9+ |
| Developer | [Macaca Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1278612016) | [Ozan Kasikci](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485317310) |

## What reviewers say

### Merge & Shoot!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-and-shoot/id1625879244)

Combine and upgrade powerful auto-shooting turrets to create an unstoppable force. Unleash a barrage of bullets to overcome challenging waves of enemies in this action-packed game.

**Highlights:** Merge and assemble turrets, Auto-shooting mechanics, Bullet-hell combat, Upgrade turrets, Epic mayhem

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem (Tiny) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hand of Midas 1 Day | $2.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bundle (Medium) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem (Small) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem (Medium) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hand of Midas 7 Days | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gem (Big) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Gem Growth Fund | $29.99 | one-time |
| Hand of Midas 30 Days | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Impressive playability without paying
- 👍 Reasonable in-app purchases
- 👍 Enjoyable arena mode
- 👍 Good improvements with updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 High prices for passes
- 😴 Monotonous gameplay
- 🚫 Forced ads
- 👎 New turret designs disliked
- 🧊 Endless tower won't load

**Reported bugs**

- Endless tower freezes
- Bug: duplicate turret after merge
- Bug: merge doesn't consume item from bag
- Bug: arena won't let player progress
- Bug: incorrect opponent level in arena

**Requested features**

- Remove daily arena cap
- Add ability to buy merge stones
- Add waves game mode
- Add co-op mode
- Add real-time PvP with infinite tiles


### Barrel Evolution

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrel-evolution/id6459922345)

Multiply your barrels and enjoy the destruction! This game offers a simple yet engaging experience focused on expanding your barrel collection and causing chaos. It's designed for quick play sessions and satisfying visual feedback.

**Highlights:** Barrel multiplication, Destruction gameplay, Casual experience, Satisfying visuals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merge & Shoot! free?

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

### Is Barrel Evolution free?

Barrel Evolution is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Merge & Shoot! or Barrel Evolution?

Merge & Shoot! is rated higher. Merge & Shoot! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 318 ratings, while Barrel Evolution averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Merge & Shoot! or Barrel Evolution have ads?

Both Merge & Shoot! and Barrel Evolution show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Merge & Shoot! or Barrel Evolution?

Merge & Shoot! ships an update fortnightly, and Barrel Evolution every 3 weeks. Most recently, Merge & Shoot! was updated on September 19, 2026 and Barrel Evolution on June 4, 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.*