# PuzzleManiak vs Barnard's Star

The clearest difference is rating: Barnard's Star at 4.7 against PuzzleManiak's 3.1. Barnard's Star also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#200 vs unranked). PuzzleManiak's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 weeks) and price ($0.99 vs $3.99). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

PuzzleManiak costs $0.99 and Barnard's Star $3.99 up front. PuzzleManiak sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Barnard's Star asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barnard's Star holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 46 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of PuzzleManiak's written reviews are positive against 77% of Barnard's Star's.

PuzzleManiak ships an update every 2 days, Barnard's Star every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PuzzleManiak | Barnard's Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [3.1 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzlemaniak/id292319186/reviews) | **[4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barnards-star/id1556427846/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **46** |
| Positive reviews | 66.0% of reviews | **77.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Paid** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#200** |
| Size | 25 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alexandre Minard](https://appshunter.io/developer/285597460) | [Pollywog Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1383938094) |

## What reviewers say

### PuzzleManiak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzlemaniak/id292319186)

Engage your mind with a vast collection of 24 unique logic puzzles, each generated on-the-fly for endless replayability. Compete with players worldwide through daily challenges and online leagues, with adjustable difficulty levels and detailed statistics to track your progress.

**Highlights:** 24 unique logic puzzle games, On-the-fly puzzle generation, Multiple difficulty levels, Detailed statistics tracking, Daily challenges, Online leagues and rankings

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Month Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| 6 Month Subscription | $17.99 | per 6 months |
| One Year Subscription | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent variety with 24 different puzzle games
- 💰 Outstanding value for money
- 🔄 Infinite replayability with procedurally generated puzzles
- 📊 Multiple difficulty levels for each puzzle
- 🌐 Online competitive features and daily challenges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 📐 Screen sizing problems on various devices
- 🎨 UI/UX design changes poorly received
- 🖱️ Unresponsive touch controls and precision issues
- 🔌 Server connectivity and online functionality failures

**Reported bugs**

- Tangled game sizing issue on iPhone 14 Pro Max
- MasterMind guesses misaligned with background grid
- Pattern game elements remain small after update
- Tents game off-center positioning
- Untangle nodes have limited range of motion

**Requested features**

- Screen zoom functionality
- Dark mode or customizable color themes
- Sound effects and audio feedback
- Better game instructions and tutorials
- iPad native resolution support


### Barnard's Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barnards-star/id1556427846)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Engage in strategic, turn-based multiplayer battles across space. Outwit opponents with unique character abilities and tactical map control. Victory depends solely on your strategic prowess, with no reliance on luck or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer turn-based tactics, No micro-transactions or random chance, 3 warring factions (Humans, Robots, Critters), 30 characters with unique attacks, 18 maps on space stations and ships, Offline vs. AI and local multiplayer, Online multiplayer challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PuzzleManiak free?

PuzzleManiak costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Barnard's Star free?

Barnard's Star costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PuzzleManiak or Barnard's Star?

Barnard's Star is rated higher. PuzzleManiak averages 3.1 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Barnard's Star averages 4.7 from 46 ratings.

### Do PuzzleManiak or Barnard's Star have ads?

Neither PuzzleManiak nor Barnard's Star shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PuzzleManiak or Barnard's Star?

PuzzleManiak ships an update every 2 days, and Barnard's Star every 4 weeks. Most recently, PuzzleManiak was updated on October 20, 2026 and Barnard's Star on October 16, 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.*