# Beat the Grid vs Hex Trace Protocol

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hex Trace Protocol at none against Beat the Grid's 1. Hex Trace Protocol also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 19 months) and device support. On price and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Beat the Grid sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hex Trace Protocol asks for nothing beyond the download.

Beat the Grid ships an update every 19 months, Hex Trace Protocol every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Beat the Grid | Hex Trace Protocol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | — | No |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Size | 42 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Devices | — | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Why not an app](https://appshunter.io/developer/1630700048) | [Albertine Reid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1889075416) |

## What reviewers say

### Beat the Grid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beat-the-grid/id1630700046)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited lives ! | $1.99 | one-time |


### Hex Trace Protocol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hex-trace-protocol/id6761351587)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Beat the Grid free?

Beat the Grid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hex Trace Protocol free?

Hex Trace Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which is updated more often, Beat the Grid or Hex Trace Protocol?

Beat the Grid ships an update every 19 months, and Hex Trace Protocol every 6 weeks. Most recently, Beat the Grid was updated on October 3, 2026 and Hex Trace Protocol on October 1, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*