# Lightbot vs Monument Valley

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lightbot at none against Monument Valley's 1. Lightbot also leads on price ($2.99 vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 15.0). Monument Valley's advantage is ratings volume (16K vs 38) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Lightbot costs $2.99 and Monument Valley $3.99 up front. Monument Valley sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lightbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Monument Valley holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Monument Valley has 16K ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Lightbot's written reviews are positive against 81% of Monument Valley's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightbot | Monument Valley |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-programming-puzzles/id657638474/reviews) | **[4.8 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monument-valley/id728293409/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **16K** |
| Positive reviews | **84.7% of reviews** | 80.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#4** |
| Size | 53 MB | 324 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SpriteBox LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/517384301) | [ustwo games](https://appshunter.io/developer/297468910) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightbot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-programming-puzzles/id657638474)

This game teaches programming logic through engaging puzzles. Players guide a robot using commands to solve levels, fostering an understanding of procedures, loops, and conditionals. It's an excellent introduction to coding for kids and puzzle enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Programming logic puzzles, Robot guidance with commands, Teaches procedures, loops, conditionals, 50 levels and 20 challenge stars, Multiplayer progress tracking, Multiple language support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for learning programming
- 💡 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🧠 Thought-provoking puzzles
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Good for kids and adults
- ✨ Well-designed and polished

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⏳ Game is too short
- ❌ Difficulty spikes
- 🎧 Cannot listen to music while playing
- 🐞 Some levels have bugs

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on open/startup
- App crashes during gameplay/levels
- Conditional level 2 bug
- Play button covers code in Conditional level
- Not loading due to iOS version

**Requested features**

- More levels
- Puzzle editor/user-created levels
- Hint system
- Ability to listen to music while playing
- Unlockable content/robot customization


### Monument Valley

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monument-valley/id728293409)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Paid · Puzzle, #9 Top Paid · Adventure, #68 Top Paid · Games, #112 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore a world of impossible architecture and optical illusions. Guide a silent princess through stunningly beautiful, hand-crafted monuments by manipulating the environment. Uncover hidden paths and solve puzzles in this surreal exploration game.

**Highlights:** Impossible architecture manipulation, Optical illusion puzzles, Surreal exploration, Hand-crafted worlds, Intuitive twist and drag controls, Reactive soundscape

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Forgotten Shores | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Stunning visuals and graphics
- 🎶 Soothing and atmospheric audio
- 🧠 Clever and mind-bending puzzles
- 🕰️ Relaxing and calming gameplay
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕹️ Puzzles can be too easy at times
- ⏱️ Game is relatively short in length
- 💰 Expensive for the amount of content
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes reported

**Reported bugs**

- Levels not loading or freezing on certain devices
- Inability to purchase or access DLC/expansion content
- Compatibility issues with recent iOS updates

**Requested features**

- More levels and chapters to extend the gameplay
- Increased difficulty and challenge in later puzzles
- Ability to save progress and resume levels
- Support for newer device screen sizes and resolutions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightbot free?

Lightbot costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Monument Valley free?

Monument Valley costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lightbot or Monument Valley?

Monument Valley is rated higher. Lightbot averages 4.5 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Monument Valley averages 4.8 from 16K ratings.

### Do Lightbot or Monument Valley have ads?

Neither Lightbot nor Monument Valley shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightbot or Monument Valley?

Lightbot ships an update every 2 months, and Monument Valley every 2 months. Most recently, Lightbot was updated on October 12, 2026 and Monument Valley on October 14, 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.*