Comparison

Pool Away vs Bus Panic!

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

Head to head
About

Pool Away

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Get ready to dive into the excitement of Pool Away, a sort puzzle game where you sort and arrange tubes in bustling pools where all eagerly await a refreshing dip. Your task? Guide everyone to matching tubes by strategically moving, sorting, and arranging pool tubes blocking the way across the pool's surface. But beware! The challenge escalates with immovable gray tubes, multiple queues, and the mysterious color person forcing you to adapt and rethink your strategies on the fly. Your objective is clear: ensure everyone reaches a matching tube before the timer hits zero! Each level boasts a unique pool layout and colorful individuals, so every level presents a fresh challenge. Can you think fast and plan efficiently to beat the clock? Game Features: - Dive into Challenging Levels: Navigate through various pool layouts, each with hurdles to overcome. Sharpen your strategic skills as you progress. - The Thrill of the Ticking Clock: Race against time as you clear pathways for all, and feel the rush with each passing second. - Enjoy Fun Boosters: Utilize Freeze Time, Super Jump, and Expansion to your advantage, adding an extra layer of excitement to your pool management experience. - Mounting Difficulty: Be it the immovable tubes, multiple queues, or the mystery color, Pool Away will add to the challenge of completing levels. - Immerse Yourself in Engaging Gameplay: Experience addictive gameplay with simple yet stimulating puzzles that will keep you coming back for more. - Delight in Immersive Graphics: The vibrant visuals and dynamic 3D animations bring the pools to life, offering a feast for the eyes. How to Play: - Sort and Move Tubes: Drag and move tubes around the pool, creating clear paths for all to reach their tubes. - Progress through Levels: Guide everyone to their tubes within the time limit to advance to the next level. - Utilize Boosters: Collect Freeze Time to freeze the timer, Super Jump to transport individuals directly to their tubes, or Expansion to create more moving space by expanding the pool area. - Strategize Wisely: Plan your moves carefully, navigating around obstacles and optimizing pathways to ensure efficient navigation of the people. Get ready to make a splash in Pool Away! Put your sorting, matching, and organizing skills to the test as you race against time, strategize your moves, and become the ultimate Pool Away master. Download now and dive into the fun!

About

Bus Panic!

Manage a growing crowd by directing passengers to their destinations. Send them to vehicles with matching colors and limited capacity, making smart decisions to avoid chaos. Enjoy strategic gameplay with increasing challenges and satisfying progression.

Highlights
  • Strategic crowd and queue management
  • Limited-capacity vehicle planning
  • Special passenger behaviors
  • Fast-paced levels with increasing challenge
  • One-tap controls
  • Minimal ads
Features
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The line keeps growing. Can you keep it under control? In Bus Panic!, you’re responsible for managing a fast-moving crowd under pressure. Each passenger has a destination color, and each vehicle has a limited capacity. Sending the wrong vehicle at the wrong time can cause chaos. This isn’t just about speed; it’s about making smart decisions. As the challenge increases, new passenger behaviors and tighter limits force you to think ahead, plan your moves, and manage the flow before the crowd overwhelms you. Simple to play, surprisingly strategic, and endlessly satisfying. Features: • Strategic crowd and queue management • Limited-capacity vehicles that require planning • Special passenger behaviors that change gameplay • Fast, satisfying levels with increasing challenge • One-tap controls and smooth progression • Minimal ads for uninterrupted play Can you stay calm when the crowd goes crazy?

Screenshots

Pool Away4 screens
Bus Panic!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pool Away at none against Bus Panic!'s 10. Pool Away also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support 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

Both are free to download. Bus Panic! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Pool Away asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pool Away ships an update every 2 weeks, Bus Panic! every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pool Away versus Bus Panic!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPool AwayBus Panic!
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB540 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperElixir Gamelabs LLCGreen Team Production, LLC

In-app purchases

None

Pool Away

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Bus Panic!

One-time10
  • Coin 4$3.99
  • Coin 5$4.99
  • No Ads$4.99
Show 7 more
  • Starter pack$4.99
  • Coin 6$5.99
  • Coin 7$6.99
  • Coin 8$7.99
  • Coin 9$8.99
  • Premium Pack$9.99
  • Popuble bundle$14.99

Questions

Is Pool Away free?
Pool Away is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bus Panic! free?
Bus Panic! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pool Away or Bus Panic! have ads?
Both Pool Away and Bus Panic! show ads.
Which is updated more often, Pool Away or Bus Panic!?
Pool Away ships an update every 2 weeks, and Bus Panic! every 3 months. Most recently, Pool Away was updated on October 3, 2026 and Bus Panic! on October 9, 2026.

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