# The Ancient Ways vs Thread the Bolt

The clearest difference is rating: The Ancient Ways at 5.0 against Thread the Bolt's 4.1. The Ancient Ways also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Thread the Bolt's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (100 vs 5). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Ancient Ways holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thread the Bolt has 100 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

The Ancient Ways ships an update every 2 months, Thread the Bolt fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Ancient Ways | Thread the Bolt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ancient-ways/id6742146253/reviews)** | [4.1 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thread-the-bolt/id6760549827/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **100** |
| Positive reviews | — | 34.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 265 MB | 141 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [William Crittenden](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724290129) | [RAHMAN BIN ADEN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177342882) |

## What reviewers say

### The Ancient Ways

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ancient-ways/id6742146253)

Embark on an adventure across the globe by utilizing ancient stone archways as portals to new destinations. Explore diverse locations, engage in mini-games, collect unique Tarot cards, and uncover mysterious artifacts.

**Highlights:** Portal-based world exploration, In-game mini-games, Tarot card collection, Artifact discovery, Mystery solving

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thread the Bolt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thread-the-bolt/id6760549827)

A strategic puzzle game where players must fit colored blocks into a designated area. Blocks can only be cleared when placed under a matching colored nut, requiring careful planning and color matching to solve each level.

**Highlights:** Color-matching block placement, Strategic move planning, Limited space management, Board clearing puzzles, Precision fitting challenges

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Ancient Ways free?

The Ancient Ways is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Thread the Bolt free?

Thread the Bolt is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Ancient Ways or Thread the Bolt?

The Ancient Ways is rated higher. The Ancient Ways averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Thread the Bolt averages 4.1 from 100 ratings.

### Do The Ancient Ways or Thread the Bolt have ads?

Thread the Bolt shows ads; The Ancient Ways does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Ancient Ways or Thread the Bolt?

The Ancient Ways ships an update every 2 months, and Thread the Bolt fortnightly. Most recently, The Ancient Ways was updated on November 4, 2026 and Thread the Bolt on October 31, 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.*