# Bubble Explode vs Bubble Pops Strategy Game

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bubble Pops Strategy Game at none against Bubble Explode's 15. Bubble Explode's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 61%) and ratings volume (19K vs 973). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bubble Explode sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Bubble Pops Strategy Game asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Bubble Explode against 4.5 for Bubble Pops Strategy Game. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bubble Explode has 19K ratings behind it against 973, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Bubble Explode's written reviews are positive against 61% of Bubble Pops Strategy Game's.

Bubble Explode ships an update every 2 months, Bubble Pops Strategy Game every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bubble Explode | Bubble Pops Strategy Game |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubble-explode-pop-puzzle/id376098160/reviews)** | [4.5 (973 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubble-pops-strategy-game/id413427295/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 973 |
| Positive reviews | **78.7% of reviews** | 61.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 244 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spooky House Studios UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/376098163) | [John Rouda](https://appshunter.io/developer/396597129) |

## What reviewers say

### Bubble Explode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubble-explode-pop-puzzle/id376098160)

Engage in a captivating bubble-popping puzzle experience with chain reactions and satisfying animations. Explore numerous game modes, unlock new skins, and compete globally. Save your progress and customize your gameplay speed.

**Highlights:** Chain reaction bubble explosions, Multiple game modes, Unlockable skins, Global online scoreboards, Adjustable animation speed, Undo moves

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium User 1 Month | $5.99 | per month |
| Premium User 1 Week free trial | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium User 1 Year | $49.99 | per year |
| 1000 Pearls | $1.99 | one-time |
| 30 Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Daily offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| 80 Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| Bubble Explode Ad Free | $4.99 | one-time |
| 5 000 Pearls 30% OFF | $5.99 | one-time |
| Daily Offer x3 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Pearls | $5.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Pearls | $9.99 | one-time |
| 25 000 Pearls | $19.99 | one-time |
| 150 000 Pearls | $99.99 | one-time |
| 1 Million Pearls | $499.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and relaxing games
- 🧠 Challenging and engaging
- 🎨 Great graphics and visuals
- 🎶 Enjoyable music and sounds
- 💰 Generous with free pearls/coins

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔄 Forced ads and in-app purchases
- 🤔 Confusing or unfair game mechanics
- 🕰️ Slow or unresponsive gameplay
- 🔍 Cluttered and distracting UI

**Reported bugs**

- Wildcard/power-up reloading issues
- Incorrect or missing achievements
- Uneven difficulty spikes in some games
- Touchscreen calibration problems
- Forced bonus levels disrupting gameplay

**Requested features**

- More free game modes and content
- Ability to disable ads and suggestions
- Improved scoring and progression systems
- Better syncing across devices
- More customization options


### Bubble Pops Strategy Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubble-pops-strategy-game/id413427295)

Tap adjacent bubbles of the same color to score points and clear levels. This strategy game offers endless gameplay with over 500,000 levels. Enjoy a challenging and fun experience without annoying social notifications.

**Highlights:** Tap adjacent same-colored bubbles, Score points by creating rows, Virtually endless gameplay, Over 500,000 levels, No annoying social notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Relaxing
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable
- 👍 Great for kids
- 👍 Good time waster
- 👍 Challenging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bubbles shift and overlap
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with device updates
- 🐛 Scores and progress not saved
- 🔋 Drains battery

**Reported bugs**

- Bubbles disappearing or not popping
- Overlapping bubbles
- Crashes and freezes
- Compatibility issues with device updates

**Requested features**

- Save progress and scores
- Add sound effects
- Increase color variety
- Adjust button placement
- Improve visibility of bubbles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bubble Explode free?

Bubble Explode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bubble Pops Strategy Game free?

Bubble Pops Strategy Game is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bubble Explode or Bubble Pops Strategy Game?

Bubble Explode is rated higher. Bubble Explode averages 4.6 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while Bubble Pops Strategy Game averages 4.5 from 973 ratings.

### Do Bubble Explode or Bubble Pops Strategy Game have ads?

Both Bubble Explode and Bubble Pops Strategy Game show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bubble Explode or Bubble Pops Strategy Game?

Bubble Explode ships an update every 2 months, and Bubble Pops Strategy Game every 3 months. Most recently, Bubble Explode was updated on September 25, 2026 and Bubble Pops Strategy Game on September 24, 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.*