# ZenShell vs The Cuties

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZenShell at none against The Cuties's 13. ZenShell also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 66%). The Cuties's advantage is ratings volume (42 vs 5). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Cuties sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. ZenShell asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for ZenShell against 4.7 for The Cuties. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Cuties has 42 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of ZenShell's written reviews are positive against 66% of The Cuties's.

ZenShell ships an update every 2 months, The Cuties every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZenShell | The Cuties |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenshell/id348537801/reviews)** | [4.7 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cuties/id1335088536/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **42** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 65.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 179 MB | 452 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Z Sculpt](https://appshunter.io/developer/348537806) | [Andrey Kolesin](https://appshunter.io/developer/767296906) |

## What reviewers say

### ZenShell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenshell/id348537801)

Test your reflexes and hand-eye coordination with this classic "ball and cups" style game. Catch hermit crabs as they move rapidly under shells. See if your eyes are fast enough to keep up!

**Highlights:** Hand-eye coordination test, Classic "ball and cups" gameplay, Fast-paced shell following, Hermit crab catching, Reaction time challenge

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Cuties

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cuties/id1335088536)

Engage in a logic puzzle game where you help tiny creatures called Cuties achieve their goal of being the last one standing. Explore over 1000 levels of classic match-3 gameplay, collecting treasures along the way. Train your brain with these charming characters.

**Highlights:** Logic puzzle gameplay, Match-3 levels, Over 1000 levels, Collect gold and gems, Train logical abilities, Cute creature characters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Festival Deal | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20 hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| 65 hints (Special Offer) | $1.99 | one-time |
| 65 hints | $4.99 | one-time |
| 140 hints (Special Offer) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 140 hints | $9.99 | one-time |
| 145 hints & 2 hours | $9.99 | one-time |
| 300 hints (Special Offer) | $11.99 | one-time |
| Season Pass | $11.99 | one-time |
| 300 hints | $19.99 | one-time |
| 315 hints & 4 hours | $19.99 | one-time |
| 750 hints & 2 days | $39.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Support | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZenShell free?

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

### Is The Cuties free?

The Cuties is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ZenShell or The Cuties?

ZenShell is rated higher. ZenShell averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while The Cuties averages 4.7 from 42 ratings.

### Do ZenShell or The Cuties have ads?

The Cuties shows ads; ZenShell does not.

### Which is updated more often, ZenShell or The Cuties?

ZenShell ships an update every 2 months, and The Cuties every 14 months. Most recently, ZenShell was updated on June 5, 2026 and The Cuties on September 21, 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.*