# Crystal Caverns! vs Pearl Gem!

The clearest difference is rating: Pearl Gem! at 4.7 against Crystal Caverns!'s 4.2. Pearl Gem! also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 36 months) and ratings volume (63K vs 33). Crystal Caverns!'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and review sentiment (86% vs 66%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pearl Gem! sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Crystal Caverns! asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pearl Gem! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pearl Gem! has 63K ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Crystal Caverns!'s written reviews are positive against 66% of Pearl Gem!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Crystal Caverns! ships an update every 36 months, Pearl Gem! fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crystal Caverns! | Pearl Gem! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crystal-caverns/id574347038/reviews) | **[4.7 (63K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearl-gem/id6477785346/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 33 | **63K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.0% of reviews** | 66.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 36 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 72 MB | 309 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Sarah Pierce](https://appshunter.io/developer/406813189) | [A Small Game AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1073064064) |

## What reviewers say

### Crystal Caverns!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crystal-caverns/id574347038)

Engage in an addictive color-matching puzzle game where you shoot marbles to clear the board. Offers infinite puzzles in random mode and an endless challenge to test your skills. Features beautiful graphics and a variety of difficulty levels.

**Highlights:** Color-matching marble shooting, Random mode with infinite puzzles, Endless mode for continuous play, 150 hand-designed puzzles, Three difficulty levels, Tracks player statistics, Glowing marble graphics

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pearl Gem!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearl-gem/id6477785346)

Engage in a unique bubble-shooter adventure, breaking obstacles and combining shots to conquer levels. Collect pearls to craft beautiful gems and discover hidden treasures with a helpful companion guiding your way.

**Highlights:** Unique bubble-shooter gameplay, Break through obstacles, Collect pearls, Create beautiful gems, Unlock powerful boosters, Clear layers of the Pearl Sphere

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ad Breaks for 1 day! | $0.99 | one-time |
| No Ad Breaks for 7 days! | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer! | $2.99 | one-time |
| Shiny Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |
| Star Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| No Ad Breaks forever! | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Excellent graphics
- 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 🎯 Challenging levels
- 👍 Relaxing and soothing experience
- 💎 Satisfying to watch the pearls drop

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of clarity on game mechanics and progression
- 🔊 Annoying voice/sound effects
- 💰 Too many ads, especially after rating the app
- 🐛 Bugs causing progress resets and issues with water level

**Reported bugs**

- Pearl counter resets to zero
- Water level not progressing as expected
- Sound issues after ad breaks
- Excessively high pearl requirements on certain levels

**Requested features**

- Add more level variety and difficulty
- Introduce new game modes or challenges
- Provide an option to disable sound/music
- Improve the water level progression system
- Add a shop or customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crystal Caverns! free?

Crystal Caverns! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pearl Gem! free?

Pearl Gem! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Crystal Caverns! or Pearl Gem!?

Pearl Gem! is rated higher. Crystal Caverns! averages 4.2 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Pearl Gem! averages 4.7 from 63K ratings.

### Do Crystal Caverns! or Pearl Gem! have ads?

Both Crystal Caverns! and Pearl Gem! show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Crystal Caverns! or Pearl Gem!?

Crystal Caverns! ships an update every 36 months, and Pearl Gem! fortnightly. Most recently, Crystal Caverns! was updated on September 23, 2026 and Pearl Gem! on September 26, 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.*