# 1D Arcade vs Thermals

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Thermals at none against 1D Arcade's 5. Thermals also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 9 months). 1D Arcade's advantage is iOS requirement (12 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 1D Arcade sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Thermals asks for nothing beyond the download.

Thermals holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively.

1D Arcade ships an update every 9 months, Thermals every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 1D Arcade | Thermals |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1d-arcade/id638871602/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermals-ride-the-column/id6775693617/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 55 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Svante Segelson](https://appshunter.io/developer/594153369) | [JAMIE ALAN PARKER](https://appshunter.io/developer/6775693619) |

## What reviewers say

### 1D Arcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1d-arcade/id638871602)

Engage in a minimalist, one-dimensional action game where you control a paddle. Your goal is to hit beneficial green objects and avoid harmful red ones before they cross the centerline. An interactive tutorial guides you through the mechanics.

**Highlights:** One-dimensional gameplay, Paddle control, Hit green, avoid red, Interactive tutorial, Immersive audio experience

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 60 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 60 New Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 100 Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 100 New Coins | $2.99 | one-time |


### Thermals

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thermals-ride-the-column/id6775693617)

Pilot a disc through rising air currents, collecting rings to score points and build combos. Compete globally on leaderboards and track your personal bests in this challenging arcade game.

**Highlights:** Dynamic thermal flight simulation, Ring collection for scoring, Combo streak system, Global leaderboard competition, Personal best tracking, One-touch controls

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 1D Arcade free?

1D Arcade is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Thermals free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 1D Arcade or Thermals?

Thermals is rated higher. 1D Arcade averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Thermals averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do 1D Arcade or Thermals have ads?

1D Arcade shows ads; Thermals does not.

### Which is updated more often, 1D Arcade or Thermals?

1D Arcade ships an update every 9 months, and Thermals every 10 days. Most recently, 1D Arcade was updated on November 10, 2026 and Thermals on October 31, 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.*