Comparison

Groops vs Dotsu

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

Head to head
About

Groops

This puzzle game challenges your mind by matching tiles based on shared or unique attributes. With hundreds of levels and exciting game modes like Time Attack and multiplayer, it offers endless fun and brain stimulation. Compete with friends and unlock achievements.

Highlights
  • Hundreds of levels
  • Time Attack mode
  • Leaderboards
  • Multiplayer mode
  • Unlockable achievements
  • Hint system
Features
Read full description

Groops is a puzzle game that will put your mind to the test. Match tiles three at a time based on either shared or completely unique attributes - the number of possibilities will tie your brain in knots! Keep your mind sharp. Play Groops! • Hundreds of levels of increasing difficulties! • Infinite, unlimited gameplay in “Time Attack” mode. Get to the top of the leaderboards and send your friends Challenge requests to beat your score! • Unlock dozens of Achievements! • Compete against friends in multiplayer mode - who can get the most Groops before time runs out? ********** ~ * Starbucks Pick of the Week in 2014 * ~ “This is an example of why we love games. Simple to understand, but very difficult to master.” - iPlayApps “Groops takes match-three to a whole new level.” - Daniel Celeste, AppAdvice.com “This game is more fun and challenging than my job! With a smooth design and intelligent matching, it is everything I look for to keep my mind stimulated during downtime” - HallelP “Fun but challenging game. Can’t put my phone down once I open this app!” - Stefi592 ********** GAMEPLAY MODES LEVELS - Relax, there’s no time pressure. Find all the possible Groops on the screen to advance. You can use Hints if you get stuck (get more by playing TIME ATTACK or from the Powerups menu). TIME ATTACK - Find as many Groops as possible before time runs out! Make 5 Groops in a row to increase your multiplier, but be careful! If you make an invalid Groop, your multiplier gets reset. Rack up as many points as possible because your score gets added to your points bank. ********** OK, HOW DO I PLAY? Match 3 tiles to make a Groop. Tiles have 4 attributes with three options each - SHAPE (square, circle, leaf), COLOR (blue, magenta, yellow), PATTERN (solid fill, striped fill, border only), and SYMBOL (diamond, hourglass, and its 3rd option is no symbol at all). Finding identical tiles is easy, but you’ll eventually need to make Groops based on mixed attributes, and thats where we kick your brain into full-throttle. Groops can be made by matching tiles with identical attributes, by matching all 3 options of 1 attribute, or by matching three different options across multiple attributes. For example: • Solid blue square with no symbol, solid blue circle with no symbol, and a solid blue leaf with no symbol. (Same shape - square, same color - blue, same pattern - solid, all different symbols) • Striped blue square with no symbol, solid magenta circle with a diamond, bordered yellow leaf with an hourglass (All different shapes, all different colors, all different patterns, all different symbols) NOTE: To make a Groop, either all options are the same, or all different across the attributes. For example, these would be invalid: • Solid blue square with no symbol, solid blue square with no symbol, solid blue circle with no symbol (two squares and a circle, instead of three squares, or one square, one circle, and one leaf) • Bordered magenta circle with a diamond, solid yellow circle with a diamond, solid yellow circle with an hourglass (Invalid for two reasons: 1) two yellows and a magenta instead of three yellows or one yellow, one magenta, and one blue. 2) two diamonds and an hourglass instead of three diamonds or one diamond, one hourglass, and one without any symbol at all) ********** Follow @play_groops on Twitter

About

Dotsu

Engage in a unique match-3 puzzle adventure with colorful dots and explosive power-ups. Explore over 620 handcrafted levels featuring fresh mechanics and a sleek design. Enjoy a completely ad-free experience with captivating visuals and sound.

Highlights
  • 620+ handcrafted levels
  • Explosive power-ups
  • Unique dot mechanics
  • Sleek minimalist design
  • 100% ad-free experience
  • Side quests and secret shape guessing
Features
Read full description

Welcome to the world of Dotsu — a colorful match-3 experience like no other! Step into a universe where dots of all shapes and sizes collide to create explosive puzzles! In this ad-free, addictive match-3 game, you combine colorful dots and trigger powerful effects using Liners, Pulsers, Blasters, Shurikens, and many more. This is not just another match-3 clone. Dotsu introduces fresh mechanics, unique objectives, and a sleek minimalist design — it plays like nothing you've seen before. With 660+ handcrafted levels and many more on the way, there's always a new challenge waiting. Whether you're solving puzzles casually or chasing perfection, Dotsu fits your style. And the best part? Absolutely no ads. Ever. WHAT AWAITS INSIDE: • 660+ handcrafted levels (and more coming!) • Colorful and dynamic dot mechanics • Sleek minimalist visuals • Captivating music and sound • Side quests and secret shape guessing • Vault unlocking and hidden features • Two beautiful visual skins • 100% ad-free experience From the creator of puzzle hits like Dotello, Jewel Galaxy, Rings, and Perspecto, Dotsu is a deeply satisfying and endlessly engaging puzzle game you'll keep coming back to. Download now and dive into the world of dots!

Screenshots

Groops4 screens
Dotsu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Dotsu at 4.6 against Groops's 4.3. Groops's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 69%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Groops sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Dotsu sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dotsu holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 675 and 342 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Groops's written reviews are positive against 69% of Dotsu's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Groops ships an update every 8 days, Dotsu fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Groops versus Dotsu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGroopsDotsu
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (675 ratings)4.6 (342 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.6% of reviews — better69.4% of reviews
Number of ratings675 — better342
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB140 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTorched Media LLCGamepocket Studio

Customer experience

Groops

All ratings675 ratings
Positive81.3%
Neutral9.5%
Negative9.2%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive85.6%
Neutral5.2%
Negative9.3%

Dotsu

All ratings342 ratings
Positive89.8%
Neutral4.4%
Negative5.8%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive69.4%
Neutral12.5%
Negative18.1%

User reviews

Groops

From 675 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Calming game
  • 🧠 Challenging and thought-provoking
  • 🤔 Makes you think differently
  • 🕰️ Great for passing time
  • 🧠 Brain workout

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes
  • 🔒 Requires Facebook login for more levels
  • 🔢 Lack of new levels
  • 🎵 No background music

Dotsu

From 342 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fun from the get-go
  • 👍 Better than Two Dots
  • 👍 Very nice game - not too money-oriented
  • 👍 Love it
  • 👍 Perfect!

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Still need more levels
  • 🐛 Enjoyable, but. . .
  • 🐛 Too Difficult
  • 🐛 Color Issues
  • 🐛 Game too hard too soon

Bugs and requests

Groops

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Level 10 of 'brainz needed' bonus pack won't let user progress
  • Crash after time attack finishes
  • Level 45 of easy 4x4 board shows '0/ ' and crashes
  • Win not recognized in local multiplayer

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and boards
  • Ability to reset level scores
  • Endless mode
  • Ability to see previous groops found

Dotsu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Something went wrong where now it won't clear the colors when I match them
  • Text and many logos disappear at the beginning of each level
  • Couldn't beat the broom level in 3 tries and ran out of brooms so I could play the level

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add level replay
  • More ways to get coins
  • Add undo power-up
  • Add ability to replay completed levels
  • Add more levels

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Groops

One-time6
  • pack of 50 Board Shuffles$0.99
  • pack of 10 Hints$0.99
  • pack of 5,000 Points$0.99
Show 3 more
  • 3x3 Bonus Pack 1$1.99
  • pack of 20,000 Points$2.99
  • pack of 100,000 Points$12.99
8 purchases

Dotsu

One-time8
  • Mini bundle$1.99
  • Special bundle$3.99
  • Small bundle$3.99
Show 5 more
  • No ads$4.99
  • Medium bundle$9.99
  • Large bundle$17.99
  • XL bundle$29.99
  • XXL bundle$49.99

Questions

Is Groops free?
Groops is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dotsu free?
Dotsu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Groops or Dotsu?
Dotsu is rated higher. Groops averages 4.3 out of 5 from 675 ratings, while Dotsu averages 4.6 from 342 ratings.
Do Groops or Dotsu have ads?
Neither Groops nor Dotsu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Groops or Dotsu?
Groops ships an update every 8 days, and Dotsu fortnightly. Most recently, Groops was updated on October 14, 2026 and Dotsu on October 7, 2026.

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