Comparison

NineGaps vs Glow Burst Lite

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NineGaps

This is a challenging puzzle game where you place numbers 1-9 into gaps, matching operations. It offers a unique twist on number puzzles with multiple difficulty levels and endless replayability.

Highlights
  • Unique puzzle gameplay
  • Cute graphics
  • 5 difficulty levels
  • Unlimited puzzles
  • Leaderboards and achievements
  • GameCenter integration
Features
Read full description

Featured by Apple as "Best Math Puzzle Game" and "New and Noteworthy" NineGaps is a highly addictive and tricky puzzle game. The goal of the game is really simple. You have to use your wits to place numbers from 1 to 9 in the missing gaps, while matching the operations presented in the puzzle. It's just like sudoku, but different! FEATURES: • simple and unique puzzle-based gameplay • cute graphics • 5 difficulty levels • unlimited brain burning puzzles • global and friend leaderboards • achievements • GameCenter integration • highly addictive and fun! Fans of Sudoku, KenKen and TwentyFour will feel right at home! Test your puzzle cracking skills with NineGaps today! PRESS REVIEWS: ..."sudoku-style puzzle game featuring a clever twist", Macworld ..."polished, fantastic looking iPhone app that anyone can enjoy", MacYourself ..."there is no reason this great puzzle app shouldn't be downloaded today", AppModo ..."with random boards the replayability is pretty much endless", In Touch Reviews ..."simple game with a simple design and does it simply perfect", GameZebo ..."make way for another highly addictive game coming out for your iPhone", Mobilewhack ..."great for all ages whether you want a math refresher or a fun way to teach kids math skills", The AppPodcast ..."this is a simple looking brain burning challenger", iPhone Footprint ..."sudoku meets calculator, has baby, calls it NineGaps", Mobile Game Faqs ..."highly addictive puzzle game", iPhone Toolbox ..."fun and challenging", AppChatter ..."easy to pick up and hard to put down", iPhone App Reviews CONTACT US - Visit us: ninegapsapp.com - Follow us: twitter.com/quadionTouch - Become a fan: facebook.com/pages/Quadion-Technologies/65161686424 Check out our other exciting games: Rune Trails and Wordweaver

About

Glow Burst Lite

Tap or swipe glowing numbers from least to greatest as quickly as possible. Earn points and bonus time with each successful round. This addicting game offers multiple difficulty levels and challenges for all ages.

Highlights
  • Tap or swipe glowing numbers
  • Least to greatest number sequence
  • Multiple difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard)
  • Game Center achievements and leaderboards
  • Turn-based multiplayer
  • Learn number sequences with 123 mode
Features
Read full description

Glow Burst requires a sharp mind and a quick touch. Tap or swipe through the glowing numbers as fast as you can from least to greatest. Each glow burst earns you points and extra time. Complete a round and get even more bonus time. It sounds simple but be warned that it's very addicting! FEATURES - 123, Easy, Medium, and Hard Levels. Perfect for kids and adults! - Game Center Achievements, Leaderboards and turn-based Multiplayer - Swipe through multiple Glow Pads to earn even more points - Glowing graphics with cool animations and sound - Each round gets harder and will challenge all age groups - Helps to learn number sequences with introductory 123 mode - Background music speeds up as time decreases for a little added stress UPGRADE Upgrade to the paid version of Glow Burst to remove ads. Just tap the UPGRADE button on the main screen. Visit our website at https://www.tmsoft.com/glowburst/

Screenshots

NineGaps4 screens
Glow Burst Lite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: NineGaps at none against Glow Burst Lite's shown. Glow Burst Lite's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs paid) and rating (4.3 vs 4.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Glow Burst Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of NineGaps's written reviews are positive against 95% of Glow Burst Lite's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NineGaps ships an update every 26 months, Glow Burst Lite every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NineGaps versus Glow Burst Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNineGapsGlow Burst Lite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (10 ratings)4.3 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.1% of reviews94.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1016 — better
Update frequencyEvery 26 monthsEvery 11 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS10.3 — better11.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperQuadion Technologies LLCTMSOFT

Customer experience

NineGaps

All ratings11 ratings
Positive63.6%
Neutral27.3%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews109 reviews
Positive88.1%
Neutral8.3%
Negative3.7%

Glow Burst Lite

All ratings16 ratings
Positive81.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive94.8%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.9%

User reviews

NineGaps

From 10 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🧠 Excellent brain training and mental math improvement
  • 🎮 Simple yet challenging gameplay mechanics
  • 🎨 Clean, polished, and attractive visual design
  • ⏱️ Quick games perfect for short waiting periods
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Suitable for multiple age groups and skill levels

Room to improve

  • 🔊 Loud sound effects that cannot be controlled properly
  • 💾 No game saving feature when closing app
  • 🧮 Does not follow proper order of operations (PEMDAS)
  • 🔴 Occasional crashes or app not opening
  • 🎮 Limited replay value after extended play

Glow Burst Lite

From 16 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Highly addictive gameplay
  • 💡 Original and fun concept
  • 🧠 Great for brain exercise
  • ✨ Beautiful graphics and effects
  • 🎶 Catchy music and sound

Room to improve

  • 😠 Infuriatingly challenging
  • 😴 Can be boring for some
  • 🔊 Music cannot be turned off
  • 📉 Limited replay value
  • 🚫 No pause button

Bugs and requests

NineGaps

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Sound effects stop working intermittently
  • App crashes or fails to open on launch
  • Sound volume settings not saving between sessions
  • OpenFeint achievements not awarding properly
  • Mathematical calculation errors in some puzzles
Show 2 more
  • Unsolvable puzzle generation reported
  • Incorrect answer validation (marking correct answers as wrong)

Requested features

14 requests
  • Solution/reveal button to show answers when stuck
  • Hint system for difficult puzzles
  • Game auto-save functionality
  • Persistent sound settings across sessions
  • Global leaderboards for competition
Show 9 more
  • Multiplayer mode or WiFi challenges
  • Larger grids (4x4, 5x5) for increased difficulty
  • Puzzle numbering system for tracking progress
  • Ability to view completed games
  • Confirmation dialog before resetting high scores
  • Brackets/parentheses support in equations
  • Higher difficulty levels for advanced players
  • More game modes and variations
  • Improved color contrast for colorblind users

Glow Burst Lite

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 🐛 App crashes on startup
  • 🐛 App shuts down after opening
  • 🐛 App won't work after update

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to turn off music
  • Option to turn off negative numbers for younger kids
  • Pause button

In-app purchases

None

NineGaps

No in-app purchases

None

Glow Burst Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NineGaps free?
NineGaps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Glow Burst Lite free?
Glow Burst Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NineGaps or Glow Burst Lite?
Glow Burst Lite is rated higher. NineGaps averages 4.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Glow Burst Lite averages 4.3 from 16 ratings.
Do NineGaps or Glow Burst Lite have ads?
Glow Burst Lite shows ads; NineGaps does not.
Which is updated more often, NineGaps or Glow Burst Lite?
NineGaps ships an update every 26 months, and Glow Burst Lite every 11 months. Most recently, NineGaps was updated on October 31, 2026 and Glow Burst Lite on November 1, 2026.

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