# PopCandy ® vs PopStar Mania+

PopCandy ® and PopStar Mania+ both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 90% of PopCandy ®'s written reviews are positive against 33% of PopStar Mania+'s. PopCandy ® also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (478 vs 36). PopStar Mania+'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PopCandy ® sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. PopStar Mania+ asks for nothing beyond the download.

PopStar Mania+ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PopCandy ® has 478 ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of PopCandy ®'s written reviews are positive against 33% of PopStar Mania+'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PopCandy ® ships an update every 2 weeks, PopStar Mania+ every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PopCandy ® | PopStar Mania+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (478 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popcandy/id593323689/reviews) | **[4.8 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-mania-plus/id1035128349/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **478** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | **89.6% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 42 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [耀志 黄](https://appshunter.io/developer/793609884) | [D2R](https://appshunter.io/developer/354579543) |

## What reviewers say

### PopCandy ®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popcandy/id593323689)

Engage in a classic match-2 puzzle adventure with colorful candies. Clear the board by matching two or more of the same color to trigger explosive combos and earn rewards. Enjoy offline play with intuitive controls and cheerful graphics.

**Highlights:** Match 2 or more candies, Explosive combos and rewards, Powerful candy power-ups, Offline play, One-finger controls, Cute cartoon graphics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 Magic Candies | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ad | $0.99 | one-time |
| 18 Magic Candies | $2.99 | one-time |
| 35 Magic Candies | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 Magic Candies | $5.99 | one-time |
| 100 Magic Candies | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and fun
- 👍 Relaxing and calming
- 💡 Great strategy game
- 🚀 Kills time effectively

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches after updates
- 🔋 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 High score issues

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on loading screen
- High score not updating correctly
- Ads blocking gameplay

**Requested features**

- Save game progress option
- More level variety
- Ability to restart levels


### PopStar Mania+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-mania-plus/id1035128349)

A color-matching puzzle game where you tap adjacent stars of the same color to blast them. Strategize your moves to achieve high scores and clear the board with the fewest taps. Offers four distinct game modes for varied challenges.

**Highlights:** Tap adjacent same-colored stars to blast, Score higher with more stars popped per move, Four unique game modes: Classic, Timed, Moves, 1 Stage, Strategic gameplay and high score challenges, Simple to learn, difficult to master

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PopCandy ® free?

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

### Is PopStar Mania+ free?

PopStar Mania+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PopCandy ® or PopStar Mania+?

PopStar Mania+ is rated higher. PopCandy ® averages 4.6 out of 5 from 478 ratings, while PopStar Mania+ averages 4.8 from 36 ratings.

### Do PopCandy ® or PopStar Mania+ have ads?

Both PopCandy ® and PopStar Mania+ show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PopCandy ® or PopStar Mania+?

PopCandy ® ships an update every 2 weeks, and PopStar Mania+ every 4 months. Most recently, PopCandy ® was updated on October 23, 2026 and PopStar Mania+ 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.*