Comparison

Railbound vs Simple Match 3

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Railbound

A cozy puzzle game where you guide two dogs on a global train adventure. Bend and connect railways to help carriages reach the locomotive safely, navigating over 240 unique challenges across diverse landscapes. Enjoy a relaxing experience with charming visuals and a soothing soundtrack.

Highlights
  • Bend and connect railways
  • Over 240 clever puzzles
  • Train-inspired mechanics (tunnels, barriers, switches)
  • Comic-book-inspired visuals
  • Relaxing original soundtrack
  • Pick up cute friends
Features
Read full description

Railbound is a comfy track-bending puzzle game about a pair of dogs on a train journey around the world. Connect and sever railways across different landscapes and help everyone reach their homes. Solve over 240 clever puzzles ranging from gentle slopes to twisted passageways. BEND RAILS TO MAKE THE TRAIN GO ‘CHOO-CHOO' Place, remove and reroute connections so that carriages safely connect to the locomotive. But be careful and don’t make them run into each other! 240+ PUZZLES TO COMPLETE Our main levels will take you through a variety of locations at a relaxed pace. Forks along the road will lead you to spicy brainteasers that’ll please even the most demanding players! TRAIN-INSPIRED MECHANICS Use tunnels to cover vast distances in an instant. Delay trains using well-timed railway barriers. Switch tracks to reroute cars in different directions. Pick up cute friends on the way and encounter even more challenges on your journey! ART AND MUSIC FULL OF WHOLESOME VIBES Across the game’s world enjoy our comic-book-inspired visuals and a relaxing original soundtrack by the team behind Golf Peaks and inbento.

About

Simple Match 3

This is a relaxing puzzle game where you swap tiles to make matches of three. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles, customize your game's appearance, and enjoy satisfying effects. It offers a peaceful experience without ads or excessive story elements.

Highlights
  • No ads or subscriptions
  • Hundreds of unique tiles
  • Customizable appearance
  • Daily levels with leaderboards
  • Zen Mode for relaxation
  • Satisfying visual effects
  • Achievements and boosters
Features
Read full description

Simple Match 3 is a relaxing and challenging puzzle game with absolutely no ads. Swap tiles and make matches of 3 to clear levels. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles and customize to fit your style. Discover a variety of different elements and mechanics as you progress through the game. Use satisfying boosters and power ups. Unlike most match-3 games, Simple Match 3 was created to give players a relaxing and satisfying experience, without annoying ads, obnoxious effects, or time wasting story elements. FEATURES: No ads: Absolutely no ads or subscription purchases. The base price includes 350 levels, a unique daily level with leaderboard, and zen mode. 1 small in-app purchase unlocks even more. Customization: Customize to your heart’s content with hundreds of different tiles and lots of different background colors. You can even choose the color of the user interface buttons to match your theme! Daily Level: Play a unique level every single day. Try to make it to the top of the online leaderboard! Zen Mode: Relax and make matches with no move limits, no goals, and limited obstacles in Zen Mode. Satisfying experience: Enjoy super satisfying effects as you clear tiles, smash through crates, destroy glass, and more! The effects were created to be satisfying, without being too obnoxious or overwhelming. Achievements: Complete a variety of achievements to unlock more tiles. Boosters: Spin the prize wheel every day to gain boosters. You can also get even more boosters by completing the daily goal. Handcrafted levels: Play through 350 handcrafted levels and try to earn 3 stars. Some levels are simple, others are more challenging. Discover a variety of unique elements as you progress. If you want more, 1 small in app purchase unlocks 350 more levels. Created with love and care: Developed by a single person with care. Levels are designed to be fun, challenging, and satisfying without the need to purchase endless boosters. Download Simple Match 3 today and see what makes it so special!

Screenshots

Railbound4 screens
Simple Match 34 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Railbound at none against Simple Match 3's 1. Railbound also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). Simple Match 3's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $4.99) and review sentiment (90% vs 80%). On rating, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Railbound costs $4.99 and Simple Match 3 $1.99 up front. Simple Match 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Railbound asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Railbound against 4.8 for Simple Match 3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 117 and 247 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Railbound's written reviews are positive against 90% of Simple Match 3's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Railbound ships an update every 3 days, Simple Match 3 weekly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Railbound versus Simple Match 3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRailboundSimple Match 3
Price$4.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.8 (117 ratings)4.8 (247 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews90.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings117247 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#61#56 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size229 MB463 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAfterburn Lukasz SpierewkaMulberry Tree Games, LLC

Customer experience

Railbound

All ratings117 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral0.9%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews85 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral5.9%
Negative14.1%

Simple Match 3

All ratings247 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews191 reviews
Positive90.1%
Neutral6.3%
Negative3.7%

Bugs and requests

Railbound

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Simple Match 3

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Levels with Missing Obstacles
  • Reward Box Tapping Issue
  • Inconsistent Star Rating System
  • Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
  • Crashes on Opening

Requested features

6 requests
  • Level Editor
  • Endless/Survival Mode
  • Improved Power-Up Interactions
  • Hints or Shuffle Option
  • Landscape Support for iPad
Show 1 more
  • iCloud Sync Across Devices

In-app purchases

None

Railbound

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Simple Match 3

One-time1
  • Simple Match 3 Gold$1.99

Questions

Is Railbound free?
Railbound costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Simple Match 3 free?
Simple Match 3 costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Railbound or Simple Match 3?
Railbound and Simple Match 3 are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 117 and 247 ratings respectively.
Do Railbound or Simple Match 3 have ads?
Neither Railbound nor Simple Match 3 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Railbound or Simple Match 3?
Railbound ships an update every 3 days, and Simple Match 3 weekly. Most recently, Railbound was updated on September 22, 2026 and Simple Match 3 on September 22, 2026.
Which is more popular, Railbound or Simple Match 3?
Railbound currently peaks at #61 in the App Store charts, and Simple Match 3 at #56. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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