# Star Gems vs Disco Ducks

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Star Gems at none against Disco Ducks's 10. Disco Ducks's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.2). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Disco Ducks sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Star Gems asks for nothing beyond the download.

Disco Ducks holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Disco Ducks has 1K ratings behind it against 80, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Star Gems's written reviews are positive against 83% of Disco Ducks's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Star Gems ships an update every 4 months, Disco Ducks every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Gems | Disco Ducks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-gems/id528857133/reviews) | **[4.7 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/disco-ducks/id922830533/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 80 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.3% of reviews** | 82.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 102 MB | 305 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Balloon Island Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/630026063) | [Tactile Games ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/308973149) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Gems

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-gems/id528857133)

Engage in a fast-paced, strategic puzzle game where you blast aliens by matching colored stars. Avoid letting stars or UFOs reach the top of the screen. Utilize a charged laser gun for emergencies and enjoy playing with your own music.

**Highlights:** Match three or more stars of the same color, Destroy UFOs by popping stars below them, Prevent stars and UFOs from reaching the top, Use a charged laser gun for emergencies, Play with your own music, Autosave game progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and fun
- 👍 Addictive and absorbing
- 👍 Great for hand-eye coordination
- 👍 Enjoyable and challenging
- 👍 Simple but exciting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🐛 Freezing and crashing issues
- 🐛 Unresponsive touch screen
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Too many ads and interruptions

**Reported bugs**

- Blocks from previous levels remain on board
- Game freezes or stops completely after updates
- Colors change automatically during gameplay
- Cubes float on top and cannot be eliminated
- Touch screen not responsive on first tap

**Requested features**

- Allow continuing from last level
- Add difficulty settings or level selection
- Improve laser gun recharging mechanics
- Fix issue with blocks from previous levels
- Optimize performance and stability


### Disco Ducks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/disco-ducks/id922830533)

Embark on a groovy puzzle adventure where ducks rule the dance floor. Connect colorful characters, unleash powerups, and master special skills to defeat villains across hundreds of vibrant levels. Enjoy hand-crafted graphics and original disco tunes.

**Highlights:** Match and connect colorful ducks, Collect ducks with special skills, Hundreds of addictive puzzle levels, Hand-crafted graphics and animations, Original disco music

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Special Offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Support Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stack of Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $6.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| V.I.D. Membership | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special offer | $11.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Coins | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💃 Fun and entertaining
- 🎶 Catchy music and graphics
- 👍 Challenging but enjoyable gameplay
- 🕹️ Addictive and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 💰 Aggressive monetization tactics
- 🕰️ Repetitive levels and tasks
- 🔍 Lack of new content and updates

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes after reaching certain levels
- Tournament scores not registering properly
- Inability to access the game after updates
- Constant ads and in-app purchases interruptions

**Requested features**

- More varied music and themes
- Ability to create custom levels
- Improved performance and stability
- Better rewards and progression system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Gems free?

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

### Is Disco Ducks free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Star Gems or Disco Ducks?

Disco Ducks is rated higher. Star Gems averages 4.2 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Disco Ducks averages 4.7 from 1K ratings.

### Do Star Gems or Disco Ducks have ads?

Star Gems shows ads; Disco Ducks does not.

### Which is updated more often, Star Gems or Disco Ducks?

Star Gems ships an update every 4 months, and Disco Ducks every 2 months. Most recently, Star Gems was updated on November 1, 2026 and Disco Ducks 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.*