# POOLS™ vs Spellbound Valley

The clearest difference is review sentiment: POOLS™ at 79% against Spellbound Valley's 17%. POOLS™ also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. POOLS™ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spellbound Valley sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

POOLS™ holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: POOLS™ has 1.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of POOLS™'s written reviews are positive against 17% of Spellbound Valley's.

POOLS™ ships an update every 2 months, Spellbound Valley every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | POOLS™ | Spellbound Valley |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878/reviews)** | [2.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellbound-valley/id6741768523/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **78.8% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tensori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767614989) | [XSGames](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725979641) |

## What reviewers say

### POOLS™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pools/id6670792878)

This app offers a slow, reflective, and immersive experience focused on exploration and atmosphere. It evokes feelings of unease and curiosity through its unique environments, inspired by liminal spaces and internet phenomena. Discover changing worlds and subtle narratives without traditional gameplay mechanics.

**Highlights:** Slow, reflective exploration, Atmospheric and immersive environments, Inspired by liminal spaces, Unfolding narrative through exploration, Six distinct chapters, Unique sound design

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| POOLS: Full Game | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Immersive experience
- 🔒 No ads
- 👍 Incredible attention to detail
- 👍 Realistic graphics and sound
- 👍 Eerie and creepy atmosphere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Boring after a while
- 🐛 Lack of variety in environments

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to move on iPad Pro
- Glitches reported

**Requested features**

- Expand to different Backrooms-inspired themes
- Add a multiplayer mode
- Introduce more interactive elements (e.g., monsters, items to discover)


### Spellbound Valley

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellbound-valley/id6741768523)

Guide a lost wizard through a series of isometric puzzles by walking over all the tiles to reach the exit. Navigate 50 challenging levels with simple swipe controls. Hints are available to help you find the correct path.

**Highlights:** 50 isometric levels, Swipe-to-move controls, Tile-based pathfinding, Hint system, Thumb-friendly design

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads + Coffee | $3.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads + Love | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is POOLS™ free?

POOLS™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Spellbound Valley free?

Spellbound Valley is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, POOLS™ or Spellbound Valley?

POOLS™ is rated higher. POOLS™ averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Spellbound Valley averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do POOLS™ or Spellbound Valley have ads?

Neither POOLS™ nor Spellbound Valley shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, POOLS™ or Spellbound Valley?

POOLS™ ships an update every 2 months, and Spellbound Valley every 5 months. Most recently, POOLS™ was updated on September 22, 2026 and Spellbound Valley on August 25, 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.*