Comparison

Simple Match 3 vs Mates

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Simple Match 3

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
Read full description

Simple Match 3 is a relaxing and challenging puzzle game with absolutely no ads. Swap tiles and make matches of 3 to clear levels. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles and customize to fit your style. Discover a variety of different elements and mechanics as you progress through the game. Use satisfying boosters and power ups. Unlike most match-3 games, Simple Match 3 was created to give players a relaxing and satisfying experience, without annoying ads, obnoxious effects, or time wasting story elements. FEATURES: No ads: Absolutely no ads or subscription purchases. The base price includes 350 levels, a unique daily level with leaderboard, and zen mode. 1 small in-app purchase unlocks even more. Customization: Customize to your heart’s content with hundreds of different tiles and lots of different background colors. You can even choose the color of the user interface buttons to match your theme! Daily Level: Play a unique level every single day. Try to make it to the top of the online leaderboard! Zen Mode: Relax and make matches with no move limits, no goals, and limited obstacles in Zen Mode. Satisfying experience: Enjoy super satisfying effects as you clear tiles, smash through crates, destroy glass, and more! The effects were created to be satisfying, without being too obnoxious or overwhelming. Achievements: Complete a variety of achievements to unlock more tiles. Boosters: Spin the prize wheel every day to gain boosters. You can also get even more boosters by completing the daily goal. Handcrafted levels: Play through 350 handcrafted levels and try to earn 3 stars. Some levels are simple, others are more challenging. Discover a variety of unique elements as you progress. If you want more, 1 small in app purchase unlocks 350 more levels. Created with love and care: Developed by a single person with care. Levels are designed to be fun, challenging, and satisfying without the need to purchase endless boosters. Download Simple Match 3 today and see what makes it so special!

About

Mates

Draw paths to connect matching creatures and score points. Avoid collisions between different colors to keep the game going. This vibrant puzzle game offers simple controls and challenging gameplay for quick sessions or extended play.

Highlights
  • Draw paths to connect matching creatures
  • Avoid collisions between different colors
  • Simple, intuitive drag-and-draw controls
  • Challenging time and space management
  • Vibrant, minimalist visuals
  • Suitable for all ages
Features
Read full description

In the colorful world of Mates, every creature is looking for its match. Your job? Draw the paths that bring them together. It’s a test of fast fingers and quick wits—if different colors collide, the spark is gone and you'll lose a heart. Simple to learn, but fun to master! How to Play: Form connections: Draw paths between matching creatures to have them meet and score points. Avoid collisions: Don't let two different colored creatures collide! Draw paths to keep different colored creatures apart. Master the Flow: As the screen fills up, you'll need to plan your paths carefully while remaining nimble in order to manage the chaos. Key Features: Simple, Intuitive Controls: Just drag your finger to draw—perfect for gamers of all ages. Challenging time and space management: Put your spatial skills and reflexes to the test as the pace picks up and new creatures join the fray. Vibrant Visuals: Meet a cast of colorful characters in a clean, minimalist world that’s easy on the eyes. Whether you have two minutes in line or an hour on the couch, Mates is the perfect companion to keep your brain sharp and your fingers moving. Download Mates today!

Screenshots

Simple Match 34 screens
Mates4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Mates at Free against Simple Match 3's $1.99. Mates also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Simple Match 3's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (257 vs 16). On update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Mates is free to download; Simple Match 3 costs $1.99 up front. Simple Match 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Mates asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mates holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Match 3 has 257 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Simple Match 3's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mates's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Match 3 ships an update weekly, Mates every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Simple Match 3 versus Mates: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple Match 3Mates
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (257 ratings)5.0 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews89.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings257 — better16
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#58 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size463 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMulberry Tree Games, LLCJordan Naftolin

Customer experience

Simple Match 3

All ratings247 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive89.7%
Neutral6.2%
Negative4.1%

Mates

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Simple Match 3

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

6 requests
  • Level Editor
  • Endless/Survival Mode
  • Improved Power-Up Interactions
  • Hints or Shuffle Option
  • Landscape Support for iPad
Show 1 more
  • iCloud Sync Across Devices

Mates

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Simple Match 3

One-time1
  • Simple Match 3 Gold$1.99
None

Mates

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simple Match 3 free?
Simple Match 3 costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Mates free?
Mates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Simple Match 3 or Mates?
Mates is rated higher. Simple Match 3 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 257 ratings, while Mates averages 5.0 from 16 ratings.
Do Simple Match 3 or Mates have ads?
Mates shows ads; Simple Match 3 does not.
Which is updated more often, Simple Match 3 or Mates?
Simple Match 3 ships an update weekly, and Mates every 9 days. Most recently, Simple Match 3 was updated on November 8, 2026 and Mates on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons