# Whale Trail vs Circle

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Whale Trail at 95% against Circle's 43%. Whale Trail also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Whale Trail sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Circle sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Whale Trail holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 5.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Whale Trail's written reviews are positive against 43% of Circle's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whale Trail | Circle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-trail/id450163154/reviews)** | [4.3 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle/id911152486/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **5.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **94.6% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 324 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ustwo games](https://appshunter.io/developer/297468910) | [Ketchapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/528065807) |

## What reviewers say

### Whale Trail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-trail/id450163154)

Embark on a vibrant journey as a whale, collecting items, performing aerial maneuvers, and battling enemies. Unlock new characters, enhance abilities, and explore numerous challenge levels. Enjoy a visually stunning and engaging arcade experience.

**Highlights:** Fly as Willow the Whale, Collect Blubbles and earn Krill, Unlock playable friends, Upgrade Willow's skills, Smash enemies, 96 Challenge levels, Classic and Challenge game modes

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pocket Money | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pack 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bucket Full | $2.99 | one-time |
| Serious Clams | $6.99 | one-time |
| Swimming In It | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🐳 Cute and fun game
- 🎶 Wonderful soundtrack
- 👍 Simple and addictive gameplay
- 🌈 Vibrant and colorful visuals
- 🕰️ Nostalgic for long-time players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🤖 Outdated for newer devices
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🤯 Challenging and frustrating at times

**Reported bugs**

- Krill not properly credited after completing levels
- Game freezing on certain device models
- Whale controls not responsive on larger screens

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode
- More customization options for whales
- Wider screen support for newer devices
- Additional levels and worlds to explore


### Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle/id911152486)

Guide a jumping circle to avoid a dangerous line. Test your reflexes and see how far you can progress in this simple yet challenging arcade game. Compete for the highest score.

**Highlights:** Tap to jump, Avoid the line, Endless gameplay, Score tracking, Challenging reflexes

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3000 Diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Diamonds | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Simple and fun concept
- 🎨 Visually appealing circles
- 💎 Earning diamonds is rewarding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Challenges are inaccurate/glitchy
- 📢 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🕹️ Unresponsive controls and lag
- 🔄 Repetitive gameplay with lack of updates

**Reported bugs**

- Diamonds not counting properly in challenges
- Game screen not fitting properly on newer devices
- Tapping not registering correctly

**Requested features**

- More race levels and challenges
- Ability to customize circles
- Option to play own music
- Pause button during gameplay


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whale Trail free?

Whale Trail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Circle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Whale Trail or Circle?

Whale Trail is rated higher. Whale Trail averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Circle averages 4.3 from 5.5K ratings.

### Do Whale Trail or Circle have ads?

Both Whale Trail and Circle show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Whale Trail or Circle?

Whale Trail ships an update every 2 months, and Circle every 2 months. Most recently, Whale Trail was updated on September 28, 2026 and Circle on September 28, 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.*