Comparison

Islands in the Stream vs PathPix Art

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Islands in the Stream

A logic puzzle game where you paint grids blue or white following specific island and stream rules. Offers over 500 unique puzzles across three sizes and time trial modes.

Highlights
  • Over 500 unique puzzles
  • 3 different grid sizes
  • 3 Time Trial modes
  • Record best completion times
  • Hint system for uncompleted islands
  • Leaderboards for Time Trial
Features
Read full description

Are you looking for a new challenge? Are you a Sudoku fan? Try Islands in the Stream. This game is a logic puzzle with interesting rules. The challenge is to paint each grid blue or white, subject to the following rules: 1. Each number indicated the number of grids in that island. 2. Each island must contain exactly one numbered grid. 3. There must be only one stream, which is not allowed to contain "pools", i.e. 2x2 area of black cells. ***** Game Features ***** # Content - More than 500 unique puzzles - 3 different sizes - 3 Time Trial modes # Features - Record best completion time for each level - Highlight number if the number of grids matches the number of label - Highlight 2x2 grids - "Hint" shows uncompleted islands # Challenge - Leaderboards for Time Trial - Try to complete as many puzzles as possible in fixed time

About

PathPix Art

This app offers 150 giant-sized logic puzzles featuring famous works of art from various historical periods. Solve intricate puzzles that reveal masterpieces by renowned artists, with sizes ranging up to 22,650 squares. Designed for experienced puzzle solvers seeking a significant challenge.

Highlights
  • 150 giant-sized puzzles
  • Art-themed puzzles
  • Puzzles based on famous paintings
  • Works by over 100 artists
  • Includes SuperMax section with largest puzzles
  • Puzzles range from 9045 to 22,650 squares
Features
Read full description

Looking for more PathPix? Love great art? Like big challenges? PathPix Art has150 GIANT-sized puzzles based on important works of art from medieval to modern times. Play puzzles based on works by Picasso, van Gogh, Monet, Chagall, Rembrandt, Renoir, Degas, Gauguin, Dali, etc. Over 100 well-known artists are represented. This set is even bigger than PathPix Max. It includes a special SuperMax section with 18 of the largest PathPix puzzles ever made. Each puzzle is a giant canvas - puzzle your way through it to paint the finished picture. Over 1.5 MILLION squares of PathPix puzzling pleasure await you. Easy, Medium and Hard areas in every puzzle. Puzzles range in size from 9045 squares (67x135) to 22,650 squares (150x151), with an average size of more than 10,000 squares (100x100). Needless to say, PathPix Art is for experienced solvers ONLY!!! Not sure which PathPix to buy?  Here's the lineup: There are many different PathPix apps for your iPhone and iPad. All puzzles are different.  ---PATHPIX LITE: Wondering if PathPix is for you? Start here. It's free! ---PATHPIX: Hooked? This is the next step, with 189 graduated levels, ranging from small, easy puzzles to large, advanced level puzzles. ---PATHPIX PRO: Are you an expert? Looking for a LOT of puzzles? Then PathPix Pro is for you, with 320 puzzles ranging from Medium difficulty to Extreme. ---PATHPIX ZEN: Relaxing and addictive! 99 beautiful puzzles, including an Advanced Levels section with 12 special challengers. ---PATHPIX JOY: Keep smiling! 99 puzzles = many happy hours of PathPix fun. Small to large, easy to advanced - you'll find it all here. ---PATHPIX MAGIC: Magic of all kinds! 99 puzzles, small to huge, easy to advanced.  ---PATHPIX LAUGH: Lots more puzzles to tickle your funnybone. 202 puzzles, each with a silly joke or quote related to the puzzle picture. Small to large, easy to extreme. ---PATHPIX BOO: Silly - spooky - scary - fun! 99 puzzles for Halloween and other dark nights.  ---PATHPIX XMAS: 99 puzzles with a Christmas theme to get you in the mood for the holidays. Whether you are looking for sentiment or silliness, you will find it here. ---PATHPIX LOVE: All you need is love! 99 puzzles, easy to advanced. ---PATHPIX MAX: Some of the biggest PathPix puzzles ever. 114 GIANT-sized puzzles, over a million squares total! ---PATHPIX ART: MAXimum fun - 150 HUGE puzzles based on famous paintings, including the biggest PathPix puzzles ever made. ---PATHPIX THANKS: 99 puzzles for Thanks Giving. Easy to Expert. ---PATHPIX EDGE: Live on the edge! None of these puzzles are rectangular. 180 puzzles, all different shapes, from teeny to gigantic, easy to expert. ---PATHPIX ALICE: The original Alice comes to life as you puzzle your way through 42 truly gigantic, colorful, and FUN illustrations for Lewis Carroll's masterpiece novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Puzzles are based on the classic Tenniel illustrations. Complete book included.  ---PATHPIX TIME: 99 forward-looking puzzles to welcome the New Year and beyond. Small to large, easy to expert. ---PATHPIX HEX: PathPix with a difference: the paths wander about on a grid of 6-sided cells (hexagons) . Warning: twisty paths make for tricky puzzles! 179 puzzles, easy to extreme. ---PATHPIX BUBBLE: Classic PathPix on special grids with squares and rectangles of different sizes. Paths can be wild and wacky. The theme is Water, oceans to raindrops. 160 puzzles, easy to expert. PathPix Art is based on the PC game "PathPix" by Kris Pixton and KpixGames.

Screenshots

Islands in the Stream4 screens
PathPix Art4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Islands in the Stream at Free against PathPix Art's $4.99. Islands in the Stream also leads on update cadence (every 5 months vs every 21 months). PathPix Art's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Islands in the Stream is free to download; PathPix Art costs $4.99 up front. Islands in the Stream sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. PathPix Art asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PathPix Art holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PathPix Art has 128 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Islands in the Stream's written reviews are positive against 95% of PathPix Art's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Islands in the Stream ships an update every 5 months, PathPix Art every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Islands in the Stream versus PathPix Art: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIslands in the StreamPathPix Art
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating4.6 (5 ratings)5.0 (128 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better95.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5128 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 21 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStanley LamKris Pixton

Customer experience

Islands in the Stream

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PathPix Art

All ratings129 ratings
Positive99.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive95.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.0%

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Islands in the Stream

One-time7
  • 5 Hints$0.99
  • Regular Pack 1 (5x5 to 10x10)$1.99
  • Regular Pack 2 (5x5 to 10x10)$1.99
Show 4 more
  • 7x7 Mania Pack$1.99
  • 10x10 Mania Pack$1.99
  • Unlock All Packs$2.99
  • 20 Hints$2.99
None

PathPix Art

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Islands in the Stream free?
Islands in the Stream is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PathPix Art free?
PathPix Art costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Islands in the Stream or PathPix Art?
PathPix Art is rated higher. Islands in the Stream averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while PathPix Art averages 5.0 from 128 ratings.
Do Islands in the Stream or PathPix Art have ads?
Islands in the Stream shows ads; PathPix Art does not.
Which is updated more often, Islands in the Stream or PathPix Art?
Islands in the Stream ships an update every 5 months, and PathPix Art every 21 months. Most recently, Islands in the Stream was updated on November 1, 2026 and PathPix Art on November 2, 2026.

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