# CloseTheBox vs Phase Star

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CloseTheBox at 56% against Phase Star's 13%. CloseTheBox also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.3) and ads (none vs shown). Phase Star's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CloseTheBox holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloseTheBox has 3.7K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of CloseTheBox's written reviews are positive against 13% of Phase Star's.

CloseTheBox ships an update every 8 months, Phase Star every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CloseTheBox | Phase Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/closethebox/id493056500/reviews)** | [2.3 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase-star/id6446647021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.7K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **55.7% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 32 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Seraphin Hochart](https://appshunter.io/developer/360660892) | [Rootcraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1370994577) |

## What reviewers say

### CloseTheBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/closethebox/id493056500)

A classic dice game where players roll dice to cover numbered tiles. The goal is to close all nine tiles to "shut the box." Offers realistic 3D dice, satisfying animations, and offline play.

**Highlights:** Realistic 3D dice physics, 9 numbered tiles with animations, Hall of Fame and leaderboards, Help mode for possible moves, Offline play, Universal app support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun game
- 🧠 Helps with math skills
- 🕰️ Quick to play
- 🎨 Nice graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚧 Frequent ads
- 🔇 Unable to disable sound
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Inappropriate ads
- 🔍 Difficult to win

**Reported bugs**

- Game not registering valid moves
- App crashes after winning
- Upside-down orientation on some devices

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode
- Option to pay for ad-free version
- Ability to change moves
- Rotate screen orientation
- Show scores instead of just win/lose


### Phase Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase-star/id6446647021)

A relaxing card game where players match cards by color and number to complete phases. It features mind-blowing levels and a minimalistic visual design. No internet connection is required to play.

**Highlights:** Mind-blowing levels, Minimalistic visual design, Astonishing animation, No internet connection required, Free to play

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CloseTheBox free?

CloseTheBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Phase Star free?

Phase Star is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, CloseTheBox or Phase Star?

CloseTheBox is rated higher. CloseTheBox averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.7K ratings, while Phase Star averages 2.3 from 10 ratings.

### Do CloseTheBox or Phase Star have ads?

Phase Star shows ads; CloseTheBox does not.

### Which is updated more often, CloseTheBox or Phase Star?

CloseTheBox ships an update every 8 months, and Phase Star every 9 months. Most recently, CloseTheBox was updated on October 1, 2026 and Phase Star on September 22, 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.*