# Mr Cactus vs Melter Idle

The clearest difference is rating: Mr Cactus at 4.5 against Melter Idle's 3.6. Mr Cactus also leads on review sentiment (30% vs 8%) and ratings volume (457 vs 46). Melter Idle's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mr Cactus sells 17 one-off in-app purchases. Melter Idle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mr Cactus holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mr Cactus has 457 ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Mr Cactus's written reviews are positive against 8% of Melter Idle's.

Mr Cactus ships an update fortnightly, Melter Idle every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mr Cactus | Melter Idle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (457 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mr-cactus/id6452011158/reviews)** | [3.6 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melter-idle/id6627341930/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **457** | 46 |
| Positive reviews | **30.0% of reviews** | 8.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 325 MB | 219 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Voodoo](https://appshunter.io/developer/714804730) | [小末 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484191030) |

## What reviewers say

### Mr Cactus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mr-cactus/id6452011158)

Embark on a balloon-popping adventure with a desert plant. Progress through hundreds of creative levels, unlocking new cards and powerful features to keep you entertained for hours.

**Highlights:** Balloon popping gameplay, Hundreds of creative levels, Unlock new cards, Unlock new features, Progress through game

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Spiky Starter Set | $1.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coins | $3.99 | one-time |
| Prickly Power Pack - NoAds | $5.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| Prickly Power Pack - NoAds | $7.99 | one-time |
| Large Coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| Prickly Power Pack - NoAds | $9.99 | one-time |
| Prickly Power Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| X-Large Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| Balloon Busting Bundle - NoAds | $17.99 | one-time |
| Balloon Busting Bundle - NoAds | $19.99 | one-time |
| Balloon Busting Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2X-Large Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 3X-Large Coins | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🎯 Fun puzzle mechanics with varied arrow types
- ⭐ Rewarding progression system
- 😊 Cute and charming character design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads interrupting gameplay
- 💔 Frequent progress loss after updates
- 🐛 Multiple game-breaking bugs on specific levels
- ❌ No accessible customer support or contact system
- 💰 Unfair difficulty spikes requiring paid extras

**Reported bugs**

- Invisible balloons remaining after clearing visible ones
- Game freezing mid-level preventing progression
- Progress reset after app updates
- Levels impossible to complete with given resources (Level 44, 50, 67)
- Game stuck on loading screen

**Requested features**

- Direct customer support contact system
- FAQ or help section within the app
- Ability to replay levels for additional stars
- Better progression system without artificial gates
- Option to reduce ad frequency


### Melter Idle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melter-idle/id6627341930)

Engage in a satisfying pixel-melting experience. Collect in-game currency to enhance your melting capabilities and unlock new upgrades. Watch as pixels transform into valuable resources.

**Highlights:** Pixel melting gameplay, Collect money, Upgrade Melter, Idle progression, Satisfying visuals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mr Cactus free?

Mr Cactus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Melter Idle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mr Cactus or Melter Idle?

Mr Cactus is rated higher. Mr Cactus averages 4.5 out of 5 from 457 ratings, while Melter Idle averages 3.6 from 46 ratings.

### Do Mr Cactus or Melter Idle have ads?

Both Mr Cactus and Melter Idle show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mr Cactus or Melter Idle?

Mr Cactus ships an update fortnightly, and Melter Idle every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mr Cactus was updated on September 19, 2026 and Melter Idle on June 10, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*