# PopStar! Lite vs PopStar Mania+

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | PopStar! Lite | PopStar Mania+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-lite/id357538314/reviews) | **[4.8 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-mania-plus/id1035128349/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **46** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | **70.9% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zplay (Beijing) Info. Tech. Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/531022725) | [D2R](https://appshunter.io/developer/354579543) |

## What reviewers say

### PopStar! Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-lite/id357538314)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Good for time killing
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable
- 👍 Simple to operate
- 👍 Good graphics and sound

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Limited levels in free version
- 👎 Prompts to purchase full version
- 👎 Game crashes frequently
- 👎 Updates make game unplayable
- 👎 Graphics can be unclear or dizzying

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes after update
- Game freezes and closes
- Cannot open the app after update
- Game stalls on iPhone 3s
- Update makes game unplayable

**Requested features**

- 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


### PopStar Mania+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-mania-plus/id1035128349)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*