# PopStar ® vs PopStar!

The clearest difference is rating: PopStar ® at 4.6 against PopStar!'s 3.8. PopStar ® also leads on ratings volume (273 vs 31). PopStar!'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

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

PopStar ® holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PopStar ® has 273 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of PopStar ®'s written reviews are positive against 90% of PopStar!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PopStar ® ships an update fortnightly, PopStar! monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PopStar ® | PopStar! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (273 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar/id615879809/reviews)** | [3.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-hd/id870110848/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **273** | 31 |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | **89.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 38 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.2 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [耀志 黄](https://appshunter.io/developer/793609884) | [崇林 莫](https://appshunter.io/developer/527637755) |

## What reviewers say

### PopStar ®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar/id615879809)

A classic casual puzzle game where players tap groups of at least two same-colored stars to pop them. The goal is to achieve the highest score by popping as many stars as possible and clearing the board for bonus points. Magic tools can be used to help achieve higher scores.

**Highlights:** Tap same-colored stars, Score based on stars popped, Bonus for clearing stars, Use magic tools, Achieve highest score

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

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

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and enjoyable gameplay
- 😌 Relaxing experience
- 🧠 Challenging and engaging
- 💖 Addictive and loved by users
- 🏆 Shows personal best score

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game freezes and crashes
- 🚫 Booster tools not working
-  intrusive ads
- 🔒 Security risk (clipboard access)
-  frustrating to close

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck and won't close
- Booster tools are not functional
- Google ad banner covers game
- App accesses clipboard without reason
- Game freezes up, requires reload

**Requested features**

- Fix booster tools
- Allow further progression without stars


### PopStar!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popstar-hd/id870110848)

Tap adjacent stars of the same color to clear them and achieve target scores. Strategize to clear as many stars as possible for bonuses and coins. Enjoy a visually appealing puzzle experience with no time limits.

**Highlights:** Tap adjacent same-colored stars, No time limit, Stage-based target scores, Bonus points for clearing all stars, Auto-save progress, Beautiful star graphics

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🧠 Requires strategy and thinking
- 😌 Relaxing and stress-free experience
- ⏱️ Perfect for passing time
- 🎨 Beautiful colors and visual design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
- 💾 Game doesn't save progress when stopped
- ⚙️ Settings don't persist between sessions
- 🔗 Ads force redirect to app store
- 👶 Some inappropriate ad content

**Reported bugs**

- Score not saved when game is stopped
- Level progress not saved
- Settings reset on app restart
- Incorrect score calculation
- Game restarts from beginning when interrupted

**Requested features**

- Save game progress option
- Paid ad-free version
- Ability to redo/retry puzzles
- Different scoring system
- Fewer ads between turns


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PopStar ® free?

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

### Is PopStar! free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PopStar ® or PopStar!?

PopStar ® is rated higher. PopStar ® averages 4.6 out of 5 from 273 ratings, while PopStar! averages 3.8 from 31 ratings.

### Do PopStar ® or PopStar! have ads?

PopStar ® shows ads; PopStar! does not.

### Which is updated more often, PopStar ® or PopStar!?

PopStar ® ships an update fortnightly, and PopStar! monthly. Most recently, PopStar ® was updated on October 20, 2026 and PopStar! on October 17, 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.*