# Smash Runner! vs Merge & Roll

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Merge & Roll at none against Smash Runner!'s 1. Merge & Roll also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Smash Runner!'s advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smash Runner! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Merge & Roll asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Smash Runner! against 4.5 for Merge & Roll. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smash Runner! has 14K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Smash Runner! ships an update weekly, Merge & Roll every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smash Runner! | Merge & Roll |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smash-runner/id1641058310/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-and-roll/id6760873326/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 21.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 285 MB | 344 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Rollic Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452111779) | [Xiamen Luguang Network Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1683239323) |

## What reviewers say

### Smash Runner!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smash-runner/id1641058310)

Grow your character by collecting layers to smash through blocks. Experience the satisfying feeling of breaking cubes in this colorful adventure. The goal is to become larger to overcome obstacles and progress.

**Highlights:** Collect layers to grow larger, Smash through blocks, Colorful adventure gameplay, Satisfying cube-smashing physics, Unique growth mechanic

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and satisfying gameplay
- 👍 Unique and engaging concept
- 💡 Potential for more levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📺 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🤔 Misleading advertising

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes and crashes at higher levels
- Levels not loading or resetting progress
- Unresponsive controls and gameplay issues

**Requested features**

- Add an ad-free option
- Improve level progression and difficulty scaling
- Fix stability issues and crashes


### Merge & Roll

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-and-roll/id6760873326)

Control a rolling ball to grow by colliding with number balls. Devour smaller balls while avoiding larger opponents. Simple controls make it easy to learn and compete to be the last one rolling.

**Highlights:** Roll and grow your ball, Collide with number balls, Devour smaller balls, Avoid larger opponents, Simple one-touch controls

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smash Runner! free?

Smash Runner! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Merge & Roll free?

Merge & Roll is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Smash Runner! or Merge & Roll?

Smash Runner! is rated higher. Smash Runner! averages 4.6 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Merge & Roll averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Smash Runner! or Merge & Roll have ads?

Both Smash Runner! and Merge & Roll show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smash Runner! or Merge & Roll?

Smash Runner! ships an update weekly, and Merge & Roll every 3 weeks. Most recently, Smash Runner! was updated on November 10, 2026 and Merge & Roll on October 31, 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.*