# Artifact vs POOLS™

The clearest difference is rating: Artifact at 4.9 against POOLS™'s 4.5. Artifact also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). POOLS™'s advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 13). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Artifact sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and POOLS™ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Artifact holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: POOLS™ has 1.6K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Artifact's written reviews are positive against 79% of POOLS™'s.

Artifact ships an update every 5 months, POOLS™ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Artifact | POOLS™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artifact-3d-puzzle-lite/id1626615924/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 79.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 596 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Mikhail Bakunovich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455006854) | [Tensori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767614989) |

## What reviewers say

### Artifact

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artifact-3d-puzzle-lite/id1626615924)

Assemble fragmented ancient artworks in this unique 3D puzzle game. Explore and reconstruct relics from various cultures with intuitive controls and stunning visuals. Adjust difficulty and enjoy a relaxing, mentally stimulating experience.

**Highlights:** Assemble broken 3D artifacts, Puzzles inspired by real masterpieces, Explore relics from different cultures, Intuitive touch controls, Adjustable difficulty levels, Stunning 3D graphics and audio

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |


### POOLS™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878)

This app offers a slow, reflective, and immersive experience focused on exploration and atmosphere. It evokes feelings of unease and curiosity through its unique environments, inspired by liminal spaces and internet phenomena. Discover changing worlds and subtle narratives without traditional gameplay mechanics.

**Highlights:** Slow, reflective exploration, Atmospheric and immersive environments, Inspired by liminal spaces, Unfolding narrative through exploration, Six distinct chapters, Unique sound design

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| POOLS: Full Game | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Immersive experience
- 🔒 No ads
- 👍 Incredible attention to detail
- 👍 Realistic graphics and sound
- 👍 Eerie and creepy atmosphere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Boring after a while
- 🐛 Lack of variety in environments

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to move on iPad Pro
- Glitches reported

**Requested features**

- Expand to different Backrooms-inspired themes
- Add a multiplayer mode
- Introduce more interactive elements (e.g., monsters, items to discover)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Artifact free?

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

### Is POOLS™ free?

POOLS™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Artifact or POOLS™?

Artifact is rated higher. Artifact averages 4.9 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while POOLS™ averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Artifact or POOLS™ have ads?

Neither Artifact nor POOLS™ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Artifact or POOLS™?

Artifact ships an update every 5 months, and POOLS™ every 2 months. Most recently, Artifact was updated on October 15, 2026 and POOLS™ on October 19, 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.*