# Pool vs PBA® Bowling Challenge

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pool at none against PBA® Bowling Challenge's 18. Pool also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (76% vs 62%). PBA® Bowling Challenge's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PBA® Bowling Challenge sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Pool asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Pool against 4.7 for PBA® Bowling Challenge. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72K and 131K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Pool's written reviews are positive against 62% of PBA® Bowling Challenge's.

Pool ships an update every 6 weeks, PBA® Bowling Challenge fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pool | PBA® Bowling Challenge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (72K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool/id332184886/reviews) | **[4.7 (131K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pba-bowling-challenge/id657459418/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 72K | **131K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 61.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #141 | **#134** |
| Size | 18 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vintolo Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453865533) | [Concrete Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/290886370) |

## What reviewers say

### Pool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool/id332184886)

**Currently charting:** #141 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

Experience classic 8-ball pool on your mobile device. Challenge a friend or play solo, aiming to pocket your assigned balls and then the black ball. Enjoy realistic 3D animation and precise aiming hints.

**Highlights:** Single player mode, Two player mode, Left and right-handed support, 3D ball animation, Aiming hint

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 No in-app purchases
- 🚀 Simple and fun gameplay
- 🚀 Realistic pool physics
- 🚀 Great way to pass the time
- 👍 No ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Computer AI cheats or makes unrealistic shots
- 🐛 Inconsistent with real pool rules
- 🐛 Occasional freezing or glitches
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty settings or customization

**Reported bugs**

- Computer takes turns when it shouldn't
- Cue ball placement issues after fouls
- Balls getting stuck on table edges

**Requested features**

- Add online multiplayer mode
- Implement different difficulty levels for AI
- Allow more control over cue ball and shot power
- Include scoring/stats tracking
- Add more table and ball customization options


### PBA® Bowling Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pba-bowling-challenge/id657459418)

**Currently charting:** #134 Top Grossing · Sports (US App Store)

Compete against professional bowlers in realistic 3D matches, from local alleys to national championships. Master your skills in career mode or challenge friends in real-time multiplayer. Unlock new balls and face legendary opponents.

**Highlights:** Career mode, Real-time multiplayer, Compete against 24 PBA bowlers, Over 100 bowling balls, Dozens of PBA tournaments, Leaderboards and achievements

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lonely Pin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pin Party Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| DNA Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Paragon Pearl Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Black Widow 3.0 Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Black Widow 2.0 Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plenty of Pins Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dark Side Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Hypnotize Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Weber Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Venom Shock Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Pins Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pin Island Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Pin Freighter Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pin Freighter Pack | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Best game for stress
- ⭐ Fun and challenging gameplay
- ⭐ Realistic bowling experience
- ⭐ Great graphics and sound effects
- ⭐ Variety of venues and features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Excessive ads and in-app purchases
- 🤔 Tournaments feel rigged at times
- 😒 Progression is too grindy
- 🤯 Frequent bugs and crashes
- 🤬 Loss of progress and saved data

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes after watching ads
- Progress and stats randomly reset
- Multiplayer matchmaking issues
- Inconsistent ball behavior and glitches

**Requested features**

- Instant replay and save clip feature
- Point difference counter
- One ball roll-off for tied games
- Option to disable crowd noise
- More realistic ball physics and behavior


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pool free?

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

### Is PBA® Bowling Challenge free?

PBA® Bowling Challenge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pool or PBA® Bowling Challenge?

PBA® Bowling Challenge is rated higher. Pool averages 4.6 out of 5 from 72K ratings, while PBA® Bowling Challenge averages 4.7 from 131K ratings.

### Do Pool or PBA® Bowling Challenge have ads?

PBA® Bowling Challenge shows ads; Pool does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pool or PBA® Bowling Challenge?

Pool ships an update every 6 weeks, and PBA® Bowling Challenge fortnightly. Most recently, Pool was updated on September 24, 2026 and PBA® Bowling Challenge on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Pool or PBA® Bowling Challenge?

Pool currently peaks at #141 in the App Store charts, and PBA® Bowling Challenge at #134. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*