# Trace vs Be a pong

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trace at none against Be a pong's 1. Trace also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (92% vs 67%). Be a pong's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (28K vs 128). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Be a pong sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.

Be a pong holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Be a pong has 28K 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 67% of Be a pong'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, Be a pong every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace | Be a pong |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace/id289446636/reviews) | **[4.7 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/be-a-pong/id1463354791/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 128 | **28K** |
| Positive reviews | **92.5% of reviews** | 67.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 189 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kevin Calderone](https://appshunter.io/developer/289446639) | [MondayOFF](https://appshunter.io/developer/1448226898) |

## 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


### Be a pong

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/be-a-pong/id1463354791)

Test your pong prowess in this physics-based puzzle game. Master trick shots and clear hundreds of challenging stages. Simple drag-to-shoot controls make it easy to pick up and play.

**Highlights:** Physics-based puzzle gameplay, Hundreds of stages, Challenging trick shots, Drag to shoot controls, Supports latest iPhone and iPad

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive game
- 🚀 Great way to pass time
- 💡 Challenging levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Ball gets stuck or disappears
- Levels become unplayable after certain progress
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- More levels and challenges
- Level editor or creator
- Ability to skip difficult levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace free?

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

### Is Be a pong free?

Be a pong is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Trace or Be a pong?

Be a pong is rated higher. Trace averages 4.5 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Be a pong averages 4.7 from 28K ratings.

### Do Trace or Be a pong have ads?

Be a pong shows ads; Trace does not.

### Which is updated more often, Trace or Be a pong?

Trace ships an update every 10 months, and Be a pong every 6 weeks. Most recently, Trace was updated on October 10, 2026 and Be a pong on October 17, 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.*