Comparison

Bubble Bust! vs Pearl Gem!

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

Head to head
About

Bubble Bust!

Engage in addictive arcade-style bubble-popping action with millions worldwide. Aim, shoot, and match colors to clear the board, bust special bubbles, and achieve high scores across numerous challenging levels.

Highlights
  • Tons of levels
  • High quality graphics
  • Exciting new bubbles and power ups
  • Realistic game physics
  • Global high scores
  • Colorblind mode
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Over 25 million people around the world are playing this original arcade bubble shooter! - "From the second I started playing, I couldn't put it down until I completed it. Literally. Bubble Bust! is a top-quality, highly-addictive puzzle game." -- App Unwrapper: 4.5/5 - "Bubble Bust just might be one of those addictive match three games that will surprise you... can be easily grasped within the first level or two, but ends up being very addictive. The game features a bright and enjoyable presentation package as well." -- 148Apps.com "POPPING GOOD" Some player reviews: - "WOW!!! I've seen a lot of games like this but this is by far the best one out there, stunning visuals and intense gameplay" - 5 star review - "I LOVE THIS GAME! I've played other bubble type games but this one is fantastic! I love the way everything moves, the graphics, the game itself! - 5 star review - "Premium Bubble Popping Game! 5 Star game without a doubt. This is more than just a bubble popping game. Beautifully made and controls are excellent." - 5 star review - "The best bubble burst type game out and I've played them all!" - 5 star review Bubble Bust! is an amazing bubble-shooter game featuring addictive gameplay and tons of exciting new bubbles and power ups never seen before! The game is easy to play - clear the marbles and bust the hidden key bubble - yet incredibly fun and challenging! FEATURES: * Tons of levels with serious bubble-popping fun * High quality graphics * Breathtaking visual effects * Lots of exciting new bubbles and power ups * Realistic game physics * Captivating arcade inspired music * 38 Awesome Achievements * Global high scores let you compete against players from around the world * Three star ranking system * Tracks today’s and personal records for each level * Accurate controls, with two ways to shoot * Excellent replay value * Colorblind mode * and much much more… HOW TO PLAY: Your goal is to clear the marbles and bust the hidden key bubble. Clear the marbles by making groups of the same color. Groups of three or more marbles of the same color will fall down. If the marbles cross the glowing line at the bottom of the screen, the game is over. CONTROLS: Simply tap a marble on the game board, or an empty spot close to it, to fire a marble towards that spot. To fine tune your shot, slide your finger left and right anywhere on the screen to first set the direction, then release your finger to launch the marble. This is the original arcade bubble shooter game which has inspired the creation of a whole new sub-genre of bubble shooters. Please support us by rating and reviewing the game. Game On! :) Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GameOnArcade Developed and published by GameOn https://www.gameonarcade.com

About

Pearl Gem!

Engage in a unique bubble-shooter adventure, breaking obstacles and combining shots to conquer levels. Collect pearls to craft beautiful gems and discover hidden treasures with a helpful companion guiding your way.

Highlights
  • Unique bubble-shooter gameplay
  • Break through obstacles
  • Collect pearls
  • Create beautiful gems
  • Unlock powerful boosters
  • Clear layers of the Pearl Sphere
Features
Read full description

Dive into Pearl Gem and experience a new level of bubble-shooter gameplay! Break through obstacles and combine powerful shots to beat exciting levels. Collect pearls to create beautiful gems and receive guidance from Starson, your shiny-loving companion. Enjoy smooth gameplay as you peel back layers ranging from small to massive. Once you play, you'll come back to Pearl Gem every day! Pearl Gem features: • A fresh twist on classic bubble shooter fun—with unique obstacles! • Collect pearls and craft stunning gems! • Unlock powerful boosters to help you on your journey! • Clear layers of the Pearl Sphere and uncover hidden treasures! • Guided by Starson, who loves all things shiny!

Screenshots

Bubble Bust!4 screens
Pearl Gem!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Pearl Gem! at Free against Bubble Bust!'s $0.99. Pearl Gem! also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (65K vs 1K). Bubble Bust!'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (94% vs 67%). On rating, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Pearl Gem! is free to download; Bubble Bust! costs $0.99 up front. Bubble Bust! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Pearl Gem! sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bubble Bust! against 4.7 for Pearl Gem!. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pearl Gem! has 65K ratings behind it against 1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of Bubble Bust!'s written reviews are positive against 67% of Pearl Gem!'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bubble Bust! ships an update every 7 months, Pearl Gem! fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Bubble Bust! versus Pearl Gem!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBubble Bust!Pearl Gem!
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (1K ratings) — better4.7 (65K ratings)
Positive reviews93.8% of reviews — better66.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1K65K — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#173 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB315 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperGOES International ABA Small Game AB

Customer experience

Bubble Bust!

All ratings1,029 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews994 reviews
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.4%
Negative2.8%

Pearl Gem!

All ratings64,049 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral5.5%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews972 reviews
Positive66.6%
Neutral11.1%
Negative22.3%

User reviews

Bubble Bust!

From 1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast-paced and addictive
  • 👍 Challenging yet fun gameplay
  • 💎 Excellent graphics and visuals
  • 🎨 Colorful and vibrant bubbles
  • ⏱️ Great time-killer

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
  • 🔒 Difficulty unlocking new levels
  • 💰 Paid content required for full experience
  • 🕹️ Inconsistent ball aiming controls

Pearl Gem!

From 65K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Excellent graphics
  • 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay
  • 🎯 Challenging levels
  • 👍 Relaxing and soothing experience
  • 💎 Satisfying to watch the pearls drop

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Lack of clarity on game mechanics and progression
  • 🔊 Annoying voice/sound effects
  • 💰 Too many ads, especially after rating the app
  • 🐛 Bugs causing progress resets and issues with water level

Bugs and requests

Bubble Bust!

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Levels not recording high scores
  • Bubble patterns changing unexpectedly
  • Crashes after iOS updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and worlds
  • Continuous/endless mode
  • Achievements and leaderboards
  • Ability to replay completed levels

Pearl Gem!

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Pearl counter resets to zero
  • Water level not progressing as expected
  • Sound issues after ad breaks
  • Excessively high pearl requirements on certain levels

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more level variety and difficulty
  • Introduce new game modes or challenges
  • Provide an option to disable sound/music
  • Improve the water level progression system
  • Add a shop or customization options

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Bubble Bust!

One-time10
  • Shooting Stars - Bubble Bust World 2$0.99
  • Pack of 500 Tokens$0.99
  • Pack of 10 Fireballs$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Pack of 5 Bumpers$0.99
  • World 2 - Level Pack 2$0.99
  • World 3 - Level Pack 2$0.99
  • Struck by Lightning - Bubble Bust World 3$1.99
  • Pack of 30 Fireballs$1.99
  • Pack of 15 Bumpers$1.99
  • MEGA Bubble Popper Pack$7.99
7 purchases

Pearl Gem!

One-time7
  • No Ad Breaks for 1 day!$0.99
  • No Ad Breaks for 7 days!$2.99
  • Coin Pack$2.99
Show 4 more
  • Special Offer!$2.99
  • Shiny Bundle$3.99
  • Star Bundle$6.99
  • No Ad Breaks forever!$9.99

Questions

Is Bubble Bust! free?
Bubble Bust! costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Pearl Gem! free?
Pearl Gem! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bubble Bust! or Pearl Gem!?
Bubble Bust! is rated higher. Bubble Bust! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Pearl Gem! averages 4.7 from 65K ratings.
Do Bubble Bust! or Pearl Gem! have ads?
Pearl Gem! shows ads; Bubble Bust! does not.
Which is updated more often, Bubble Bust! or Pearl Gem!?
Bubble Bust! ships an update every 7 months, and Pearl Gem! fortnightly. Most recently, Bubble Bust! was updated on October 22, 2026 and Pearl Gem! on October 23, 2026.

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