# Trace vs Scale

Trace and Scale both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Trace's written reviews are positive against 55% of Scale's. Trace also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). Scale's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (50K vs 128). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Scale sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scale holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scale has 50K ratings behind it against 128, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Trace's written reviews are positive against 55% of Scale's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Trace ships an update every 10 months, Scale weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace | Scale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace/id289446636/reviews) | **[4.7 (50K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scale/id1200921809/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 128 | **50K** |
| Positive reviews | **92.5% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kevin Calderone](https://appshunter.io/developer/289446639) | [Unforced Error LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1095824334) |

## What reviewers say

### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace/id289446636)

Draw your own path through challenging levels in this casual platformer. Navigate obstacles and reach the goal using the touch screen to create platforms. Enjoy unique worlds and test your skills with high scores.

**Highlights:** Draw custom paths, Navigate obstacles, Reach level goals, 6 unique worlds, 120 levels, High score challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and fun
- 🎨 Unique and creative gameplay
- 👍 Lots of levels and content
- 💰 Free app with great value

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unresponsive controls
- 🤯 Challenging and frustrating at times
- 🎨 Basic graphics

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on certain devices
- Issues with drawing precision

**Requested features**

- More levels and worlds
- Ability to customize character
- Pause button
- Undo/eraser function


### Scale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scale/id1200921809)

Strategically cut a board to capture space while avoiding moving balls. Offers both tap-to-play and drag-and-drop controls for a fluid experience. Compete on leaderboards and collect in-game items.

**Highlights:** Strategic board cutting, Avoid moving balls, Tap-to-play controls, Drag-and-drop precision, Leaderboard competition, Collect diamonds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3000 Diamonds | $2.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| 7000 Diamonds | $3.99 | one-time |
| 15000 Diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Addictive gameplay
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing
- 🕹️ Fun and challenging
- 🆓 Free to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
- 🤔 Unclear game mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Levels not unlocking properly
- Inconsistent ball physics
- Freezing and crashes

**Requested features**

- More game modes and levels
- Ability to save progress
- Option to disable ads
- Improved performance and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace free?

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

### Is Scale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Trace or Scale?

Scale is rated higher. Trace averages 4.5 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Scale averages 4.7 from 50K ratings.

### Do Trace or Scale have ads?

Scale shows ads; Trace does not.

### Which is updated more often, Trace or Scale?

Trace ships an update every 10 months, and Scale weekly. Most recently, Trace was updated on September 29, 2026 and Scale on October 5, 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.*