# Candy Crush Saga vs Criminal Case

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Candy Crush Saga at 4M against Criminal Case's 36K. Candy Crush Saga also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and chart position (#3 vs #155). Criminal Case's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 39%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Candy Crush Saga sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Criminal Case sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Candy Crush Saga against 4.7 for Criminal Case. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Candy Crush Saga has 4M ratings behind it against 36K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 39% of Candy Crush Saga's written reviews are positive against 60% of Criminal Case's.

Candy Crush Saga ships an update fortnightly, Criminal Case every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Candy Crush Saga | Criminal Case |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candy-crush-saga/id553834731/reviews) | [4.7 (36K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/criminal-case-hidden-objects/id767473889/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4M** | 36K |
| Positive reviews | 38.6% of reviews | **59.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | #155 |
| Size | 303 MB | 132 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [King](https://appshunter.io/developer/526656015) | [Pretty Simple](https://appshunter.io/developer/767473892) |

## What reviewers say

### Candy Crush Saga

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candy-crush-saga/id553834731)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Casual, #3 Top Grossing · Puzzle, #5 Top Grossing · Games, #21 Top Grossing, #28 Top Free · Puzzle, #30 Top Free · Casual, #54 Top Free · Games (US App Store)

Engage in a world of delicious match-3 puzzles with thousands of challenging levels. Match candies, conquer obstacles, and uncover sweet surprises. Enjoy unique game modes, daily rewards, and special events for endless fun.

**Highlights:** Match-3 puzzle gameplay, Thousands of challenging levels, Unique game modes, Daily rewards and special events, Powerful boosters, Offline play

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Moves | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extra Lives | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10x Gold Bars package | $0.99 | one-time |
| 15x Gold Bars Package | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Gold Bars | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lollipop Hammer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Extra small offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Small offer | $5.99 | one-time |
| 50 Gold Bars | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Visually appealing
- 🎮 Addictive gameplay
- 🕰️ Relaxing time-killer
- 👍 Generous with free boosters

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive in-app purchases
- 🤯 Frustratingly difficult levels
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
- 🔒 Lack of transparency in algorithms
- 🔧 Buggy and crashes frequently

**Reported bugs**

- Boosters and rewards not registering properly
- Crashes when switching between apps
- Sync issues with Facebook account

**Requested features**

- Ability to skip difficult levels
- More free boosters and lives
- Improved level difficulty progression
- Clearer explanations of game mechanics


### Criminal Case

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/criminal-case-hidden-objects/id767473889)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Free · Adventure (US App Store)

Engage in a captivating detective adventure by investigating crime scenes, gathering clues, and interrogating suspects. Analyze evidence to uncover the truth and bring murderers to justice in a grim city. Prove your detective prowess in this immersive hidden object game.

**Highlights:** Investigate crime scenes, Examine and analyze clues, Interrogate witnesses and suspects, Solve murder cases, Play with friends, Analyze evidence

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pizza | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Instant Analysis | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ham | $0.99 | one-time |
| Instant Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Instant Analysis | $1.99 | one-time |
| Instant Analysis | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pizza | $2.99 | one-time |
| 1 Complete Meal | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1 Burger | $4.99 | one-time |
| 2 Burgers + 1 Free Orange Juice | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and intriguing game
- 🕵️‍♀️ Interesting crime stories and puzzles
- 🧠 Challenging and mentally stimulating
- 🎨 Great graphics and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive ads and in-app purchases
- ⌚ Slow energy recharge and long wait times
- 🤖 Poor customer support and lack of response
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay and tedious tasks
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and technical issues

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to connect to Facebook and sync progress
- Disappearing energy and in-game items
- Freezing and crashing during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Ability to save energy and progress across sessions
- More efficient energy system and reduced wait times
- Improved customer support and communication
- Reduced reliance on ads and in-app purchases


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Candy Crush Saga free?

Candy Crush Saga is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Criminal Case free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Candy Crush Saga or Criminal Case?

Candy Crush Saga and Criminal Case are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4M and 36K ratings respectively.

### Do Candy Crush Saga or Criminal Case have ads?

Both Candy Crush Saga and Criminal Case show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Candy Crush Saga or Criminal Case?

Candy Crush Saga ships an update fortnightly, and Criminal Case every 3 months. Most recently, Candy Crush Saga was updated on September 26, 2026 and Criminal Case on September 26, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Candy Crush Saga or Criminal Case?

Candy Crush Saga currently peaks at #3 in the App Store charts, and Criminal Case at #155. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*