# Helix vs Tension Head

The clearest difference is price: Tension Head at Free against Helix's $3.99. Tension Head also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 40 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). Helix's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Tension Head is free to download; Helix costs $3.99 up front. Tension Head sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Helix asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Helix against 4.7 for Tension Head. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Helix has 36 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Helix's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tension Head's.

Helix ships an update every 40 months, Tension Head weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Helix | Tension Head |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helix/id562550427/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tension-head/id6759580212/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **36** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 80.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 40 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 12 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Brough](https://appshunter.io/developer/490257881) | [Robert Lothian](https://appshunter.io/developer/1794088570) |

## What reviewers say

### Helix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helix/id562550427)

Experience a frantic arcade challenge with precise touchscreen controls. This "anti-shmup" game focuses on avoiding and encircling enemies with unique twists. It's a critically acclaimed title recognized for its innovative design.

**Highlights:** Frantic arcade gameplay, Precise touchscreen controls, Avoid and encircle enemies, Unique gameplay twists, Critically acclaimed design

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 🎶 Catchy soundtrack
- 🎨 Unique art style
- 🚀 Smooth controls
- 💡 Innovative mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😵 Repetitive gameplay
- 📱 Frustrating on phone
- 🤔 Not enough content
- 👎 Crude graphics
- 😵 Boring

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Skewed off iPad screen
- 🐛 Black bars on sides (iOS 9.3)
- 🐛 Floaty and inaccurate controls
- 🐛 Ugly app design and UI

**Requested features**

- Optimization for larger screens (iPad, iPhone 6/6+)
- More variety and content


### Tension Head

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tension-head/id6759580212)

Merge shapes to survive a collapsing arena in this roguelite. Trigger chain reactions for high scores and unlock permanent upgrades to tackle escalating challenges. Discover hidden elements and unlock visual themes.

**Highlights:** Merge shapes to score, Trigger chain reactions, Permanent roguelite upgrades, Escalating difficulty modes, Unlockable visual themes, Hidden game elements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Helix free?

Helix costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Tension Head free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Helix or Tension Head?

Helix is rated higher. Helix averages 4.7 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Tension Head averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Helix or Tension Head have ads?

Tension Head shows ads; Helix does not.

### Which is updated more often, Helix or Tension Head?

Helix ships an update every 40 months, and Tension Head weekly. Most recently, Helix was updated on October 23, 2026 and Tension Head on October 24, 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.*