# Simple Match 3 vs Looking for Aliens

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Looking for Aliens at none against Simple Match 3's 1. Simple Match 3's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $2.99) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Simple Match 3 costs $1.99 and Looking for Aliens $2.99 up front. Simple Match 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Looking for Aliens asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Simple Match 3 against 4.9 for Looking for Aliens. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 258 and 144 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Simple Match 3's written reviews are positive against 93% of Looking for Aliens's.

Simple Match 3 ships an update weekly, Looking for Aliens daily. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Match 3 | Looking for Aliens |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (258 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-match-3/id6482984389/reviews) | **[4.9 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/looking-for-aliens/id6670402289/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **258** | 144 |
| Positive reviews | 89.7% of reviews | **93.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#74** | #97 |
| Size | 463 MB | 437 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mulberry Tree Games, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1714124470) | [Plug In Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/608306412) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Match 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-match-3/id6482984389)

**Currently charting:** #74 Top Paid · Casual, #91 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

This is a relaxing puzzle game where you swap tiles to make matches of three. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles, customize your game's appearance, and enjoy satisfying effects. It offers a peaceful experience without ads or excessive story elements.

**Highlights:** No ads or subscriptions, Hundreds of unique tiles, Customizable appearance, Daily levels with leaderboards, Zen Mode for relaxation, Satisfying visual effects, Achievements and boosters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Simple Match 3 Gold | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best Match 3 Game
- 👍 Calming and Engaging
- 🔒 No Ads or IAPs
- 👍 Customizable Tiles
- 👍 Relaxing Music and Sound Effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs in Higher Levels
- 🐛 Impossible Levels Due to Missing Obstacles
- 🐛 Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
- 🐛 Reward Box Tapping Issue
- 🐛 Inconsistent Star Rating System

**Reported bugs**

- Levels with Missing Obstacles
- Reward Box Tapping Issue
- Inconsistent Star Rating System
- Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
- Crashes on Opening

**Requested features**

- Level Editor
- Endless/Survival Mode
- Improved Power-Up Interactions
- Hints or Shuffle Option
- Landscape Support for iPad


### Looking for Aliens

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/looking-for-aliens/id6670402289)

**Currently charting:** #97 Top Paid · Casual, #116 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Embark on a humorous hidden-object adventure from an extraterrestrial perspective. Explore vibrant, hand-drawn scenes filled with quirky items and lighthearted puzzles. Uncover the absurdities of Earth life through alien eyes and enjoy an engaging experience with hints and extras.

**Highlights:** Interactive animated scenes, Alien perspective humor, Beautiful hand-drawn artwork, Accessible intuitive controls, Hidden object hunting, Side quests and extras

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Detailed and interactive
- 👍 Challenging but not frustrating
- 👍 Lots of levels and content
- 👍 Reminds users of other popular games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches in certain levels preventing progress
- 🎨 Muted color palette not preferred by all users

**Reported bugs**

- Glitch in levels 3 and 5 where tapping the correct object does not register
- Incompatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Improve visibility of item list at the bottom
- Add a dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Match 3 free?

Simple Match 3 costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Looking for Aliens free?

Looking for Aliens costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Simple Match 3 or Looking for Aliens?

Looking for Aliens is rated higher. Simple Match 3 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 258 ratings, while Looking for Aliens averages 4.9 from 144 ratings.

### Do Simple Match 3 or Looking for Aliens have ads?

Neither Simple Match 3 nor Looking for Aliens shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Match 3 or Looking for Aliens?

Simple Match 3 ships an update weekly, and Looking for Aliens daily. Most recently, Simple Match 3 was updated on October 27, 2026 and Looking for Aliens on October 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Simple Match 3 or Looking for Aliens?

Simple Match 3 currently peaks at #74 in the App Store charts, and Looking for Aliens at #97. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*