# Trace vs Catch a Mouse

The clearest difference is rating: Trace at 4.5 against Catch a Mouse's 3.7. Trace also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 17) and ads (none vs shown). Catch a Mouse's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 10 months) and device support (5 vs 2). On price and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Catch a Mouse sells 17 one-off in-app purchases. Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.

Trace holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 128 and 270 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Trace's written reviews are positive against 80% of Catch a Mouse's.

Trace ships an update every 10 months, Catch a Mouse monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace | Catch a Mouse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace/id289446636/reviews)** | [3.7 (270 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catch-a-mouse-puzzle-quest/id290493286/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 128 | **270** |
| Positive reviews | **92.5% of reviews** | 79.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 232 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kevin Calderone](https://appshunter.io/developer/289446639) | [Meme, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/290493289) |

## 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


### Catch a Mouse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catch-a-mouse-puzzle-quest/id290493286)

Embark on a global cheese chase adventure as the Cheese Guardian. Outsmart a sneaky mouse by setting smart traps, solving logic puzzles, and recovering stolen legendary cheeses. Enjoy addictive, family-friendly gameplay with daily challenges and boosters.

**Highlights:** Addictive puzzle gameplay, Smart strategy and trap setting, Powerful boosters, Daily missions and rewards, Relaxing and family-friendly

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Extra Hard levels pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited use Mouse Smasher | $0.99 | one-time |
| Olaf Skin 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| La Cuisine levels pack (150 levels) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cheeseland levels pack (120 levels) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fruit Salad levels pack (150 levels) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Christmas levels pack (150 levels) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cheese Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mou-Zhu Skin 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Gamblit Skin | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rocktail Skin 2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Jonesy Skin | $3.99 | one-time |
| Rocktail Skin | $3.99 | one-time |
| All 600 levels + Smasher | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gearing up! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Keep Going! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helper! | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and fun gameplay
- 🎨 Cute graphics and animations
- 🕹️ Addictive and challenging
- 💰 Good value as a free app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Certain levels are mathematically impossible
- 🔊 Annoying sound effects and laughter
- 🔒 In-app purchases required to unlock more content
- 🤖 Inconsistent mouse AI behavior

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on certain devices
- Levels not loading properly after updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to undo moves
- Hints or solutions for difficult levels
- More varied level designs and backgrounds
- Syncing of purchased content across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace free?

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

### Is Catch a Mouse free?

Catch a Mouse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Trace or Catch a Mouse?

Trace is rated higher. Trace averages 4.5 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Catch a Mouse averages 3.7 from 270 ratings.

### Do Trace or Catch a Mouse have ads?

Catch a Mouse shows ads; Trace does not.

### Which is updated more often, Trace or Catch a Mouse?

Trace ships an update every 10 months, and Catch a Mouse monthly. Most recently, Trace was updated on October 10, 2026 and Catch a Mouse on October 9, 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.*