# Paplinko vs Hamster Dumpster

The clearest difference is ads: Hamster Dumpster at none against Paplinko's shown. Hamster Dumpster also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). Paplinko's advantage is ratings volume (731 vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paplinko sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Hamster Dumpster sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hamster Dumpster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paplinko has 731 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Paplinko's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hamster Dumpster's.

Paplinko ships an update every 2 months, Hamster Dumpster every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paplinko | Hamster Dumpster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paplinko/id543697247/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-dumpster/id6757249422/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **731** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 80.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 162 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Game Circus Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693901843) | [Kenneth Brower](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862908212) |

## What reviewers say

### Paplinko

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paplinko/id543697247)

Bounce balls into cups, collecting coins and prizes while earning points by hitting pegs. Strategize with shifting peg boards and special pegs to maximize your score. Customize your game with new backgrounds and ball characters.

**Highlights:** Bounce balls into cups, Collect coins and prizes, Hit pegs for points, Shifting peg boards, Special pegs and bonus effects, Customize backgrounds and characters, Complete puzzles and achievements

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 45 Paplinko Balls | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Paplinko Bucks | $0.99 | one-time |
| 275 Paplinko Balls | $4.99 | one-time |
| 30 Paplinko Bucks | $4.99 | one-time |
| 650 Paplinko Balls | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1750 Paplinko Balls | $18.99 | one-time |
| 150 Paplinko Bucks | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game
- 🕹️ Addictive gameplay
- 🎨 Great graphics
- 🕰️ Good time killer
- 💰 Free to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 🤖 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🕰️ Slow ball regeneration
- 🧠 Lack of challenge
- 🤯 Frustrating slime mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not working properly
- Game freezing on launch
- Multiplier reset by slimes
- Inconsistent ball spawning
- Incompatibility with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Add more levels and puzzles
- Improve slime mechanics
- Implement save/restore progress
- Introduce new power-ups and customization options
- Reduce ad frequency or provide ad-free option


### Hamster Dumpster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-dumpster/id6757249422)

Slide and connect tube pieces to create an exit path for scurrying hamsters. This real-time puzzle game offers quick, engaging levels with increasing difficulty and adorable chaos. Earn stars and points by guiding hamsters to safety before they get stuck.

**Highlights:** Real-time puzzle action, One-finger drag and connect controls, 100+ handcrafted levels, Three difficulty modes, Earn stars and points, Hamster speed changes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paplinko free?

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

### Is Hamster Dumpster free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Paplinko or Hamster Dumpster?

Hamster Dumpster is rated higher. Paplinko averages 4.5 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while Hamster Dumpster averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Paplinko or Hamster Dumpster have ads?

Paplinko shows ads; Hamster Dumpster does not.

### Which is updated more often, Paplinko or Hamster Dumpster?

Paplinko ships an update every 2 months, and Hamster Dumpster every 2 days. Most recently, Paplinko was updated on November 3, 2026 and Hamster Dumpster on November 5, 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.*