PopGroup Lite vs iMaki3
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PopGroup Lite
This game challenges you to pop groups of same-colored bubbles to achieve high scores. Strategic popping is key to forming larger groups and maximizing points. Enjoy a polished experience with customizable settings and online leaderboards.
- Classic 'samegame' puzzle mechanics
- Crystal-clear graphics and animations
- Customizable grid width, height, and colors
- Online high score leaderboards
- No in-app ads or purchases
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PopGroup is a polished version of the classic "samegame" concept invented in 1985 by Kuniaki Moribe. Just pop groups of bubbles that have the same color. Sound easy? It is, unless you want a high score! You have to pop groups in the right order to form bigger groups and get more points. Compare PopGroup to other games based on the same concept: - Crystal-clear graphics - Animations - Customizable width, height, and number of bubble colors - Online high scores - No in-app ads or in-app purchases! PopGroup is made by the developer of tChess (the popular iOS chess app), and Learn Chess (the Apple Staff Favorite e-book).
iMaki3
A deceptively simple puzzle game where players score points by strategically removing groups of same-colored tiles. Advance through increasingly challenging levels by clearing enough tiles, while utilizing special tools to control gameplay and earn more with skillful moves. Customize the game's appearance with various display modes and color palettes.
- Score points by removing same-colored tile groups
- Advance through challenging levels
- Utilize strategic tools to control gameplay
- Earn more tools with good moves
- Customize appearance with display modes and color palettes
- Play on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
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A fun, deceptively simple little game that rewards you for strategic thinking. Score points by removing groups of two or more same-colored tiles. The larger you can make a group before you remove it, the more points you score. Advance to another level by clearing enough tiles on the current board. The higher the level you get to, the more points you can rack up, but the more challenging the board becomes. That simple premise can keep you thoroughly absorbed. iMaki3's tools let you make strategic decisions to keep a game going... as long as you don't use them up too soon or wait too long to use them. Plus: • Customize iMaki's appearance with different display modes and color palettes • Use tools to control your fate • Earn more tools with good moves • Play on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
Screenshots
Verdict
PopGroup Lite and iMaki3 both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of PopGroup Lite's written reviews are positive against 0% of iMaki3's. PopGroup Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). iMaki3's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 25 months) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. iMaki3 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. PopGroup Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for PopGroup Lite against 4.0 for iMaki3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iMaki3 has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of PopGroup Lite's written reviews are positive against 0% of iMaki3's.
PopGroup Lite ships an update every 25 months, iMaki3 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 16, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PopGroup Lite | iMaki3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) | 4.0 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tom Kerrigan | Dennis Birch |
Customer experience
PopGroup Lite
iMaki3
In-app purchases
PopGroup Lite
No in-app purchases
iMaki3
- Seven Levels$0.99
- Unlimited Levels$1.99
