Comparison

PopStar! Lite vs PopStar Mania+

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

Head to head
About

PopStar! Lite

This is a casual puzzle game where players tap groups of two or more same-colored blocks to clear them. The goal is to achieve target scores to advance through stages, with bonuses awarded for clearing all blocks. It offers strategic, addictive, and challenging fun for all ages.

Highlights
  • Tap same-colored blocks
  • No time limit
  • Target points per stage
  • Scoring bonuses
  • Autosave functionality
  • Supports iOS devices
Features
Read full description

Once you pop, you can't stop! PopStar!—The most interesting elimination game in the world! PopStar!—Can’t be missed casual mobile game! PopStar!—Number one time killer game! PopStar!—Whenever, wherever you can play! _______________________________________ Fantastic fun!!!(user review) "Now my current favorite game! Strategic, addictive and challenging fun for everyone! Replay value is high! I keep improving! This should be on everyone's iPhone! Good job!" _______________________________________ How to Play: - Just tap two or more blocks of the same color. - There is no time limit, but each stage has target points to proceed to next stage. _______________________________________ Tips on Scoring: - Remember just two rules below: 1. The more blocks you pop, the more score you will get 2. Try to clear all block, you will get a lot of bonus. Example of Rule #1 (Formula: Score = Blocks * Blocks * 5) 2 Blocks = 20 3 Blocks = 45 4 Blocks = 80 ... 10 Blocks = 500 ... 20 Blocks = 2000 Example of Rule #2 (Formula: Bonus = 2000 - Blocks * Blocks * 20) 10 Blocks Left = 0 9 Blocks Left = 380 8 Blocks Left = 720 ... All Block Cleared = 2000 _______________________________________ Features: - Autosave when terminated or get a call - Supports iPhone iOS 4 - All available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad _______________________________________ Full version supports autosave and continue. You can check out a video of the gameplay at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSRkjjw7StY

About

PopStar Mania+

A strategic color-matching puzzle game where you tap adjacent stars of the same color to blast them. Aim for high scores by popping more stars in a single move. Features multiple game modes and visually distinct themes.

Highlights
  • Tap to blast adjacent same-colored stars
  • Score higher with more stars popped per move
  • Strategic gameplay with limited moves
  • Multiple game modes (Classic, Timed, Moves, 1 Stage)
  • Five unlockable visual themes
  • Offline play supported
  • Game Center leaderboards and achievements
Features
Read full description

PopStar Mania – Tap, Blast, and Strategize! Get ready for a color-matching puzzle challenge that's simple to pick up, yet hard to master! Tap on two or more adjacent stars of the same color to blast them away. The more stars you pop in a single move, the higher your score! But don't let the bright colors fool you—PopStar Mania is all about smart moves and strategy. Can you clear the board with the fewest taps and set a new high score? NEW! 5 Beautiful Themes • Night – The classic starry night over the city. • Candy – Sweet, glossy candy blocks. • Jewel – Sparkling gems in a shimmering crystal cave. • Jelly – Soft, bouncy jelly under pastel skies. • Zen – Calm ceramic blocks for a relaxing session. Switch themes anytime in Settings—every theme is free! 4 Unique Game Modes • Classic – The original, endlessly satisfying star-popping experience. • Timed – Race against the clock to clear as many stars as you can. • Moves – Think before you tap—limited moves, infinite possibilities. • 1 Stage – One chance. One screen. One perfect move. More to Love • Game Center leaderboards and achievements • Play offline, anytime • Optional one-time purchase to remove banner and full-screen ads Whether you're playing for a quick break or diving deep for a strategic challenge, PopStar Mania is your go-to puzzle fix!

Screenshots

PopStar! Lite4 screens
PopStar Mania+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PopStar! Lite at 71% against PopStar Mania+'s 33%. PopStar! Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). PopStar Mania+'s advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PopStar Mania+ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PopStar! Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PopStar Mania+ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 36 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of PopStar! Lite's written reviews are positive against 33% of PopStar Mania+'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PopStar! Lite ships an update every 2 months, PopStar Mania+ every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PopStar! Lite versus PopStar Mania+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPopStar! LitePopStar Mania+
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (46 ratings)4.8 (36 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.9% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings46 — better36
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS5.1.1 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB105 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZplay (Beijing) Info. Tech. Co.,Ltd.D2R

Customer experience

PopStar! Lite

All ratings46 ratings
Positive87.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews234 reviews
Positive70.9%
Neutral7.3%
Negative21.8%

PopStar Mania+

All ratings36 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

PopStar! Lite

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Game crashes after update
  • Game freezes and closes
  • Cannot open the app after update
  • Game stalls on iPhone 3s
  • Update makes game unplayable
Show 5 more
  • Ads have broken links
  • Game exits unexpectedly at high scores
  • Cannot play past level 5
  • Game over even when score is met
  • App resets to home page on high levels

Requested features

10 requests
  • Allow playing past level 5 in free version
  • Add more levels to the free version
  • Revert to older graphics/patterns
  • Fix game crashing issues
  • Implement an undo function
Show 5 more
  • Add a 'Double Mode'
  • Improve clarity of graphics
  • Allow music playback in full version
  • Add more stage variety
  • Add save and continue function

PopStar Mania+

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

PopStar! Lite

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PopStar Mania+

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is PopStar! Lite free?
PopStar! Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PopStar Mania+ free?
PopStar Mania+ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PopStar! Lite or PopStar Mania+?
PopStar Mania+ is rated higher. PopStar! Lite averages 4.5 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while PopStar Mania+ averages 4.8 from 36 ratings.
Do PopStar! Lite or PopStar Mania+ have ads?
PopStar Mania+ shows ads; PopStar! Lite does not.
Which is updated more often, PopStar! Lite or PopStar Mania+?
PopStar! Lite ships an update every 2 months, and PopStar Mania+ every 4 months. Most recently, PopStar! Lite was updated on November 1, 2026 and PopStar Mania+ on November 6, 2026.

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