Comparison

Spark vs Orbis

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

Head to head
About

Spark

Engage with daily learning puzzles centered around a single theme. Explore history, science, and pop culture through four unique, human-crafted games designed for discovery and fun.

Highlights
  • Daily themed puzzles
  • Four unique game modes
  • Human-crafted puzzles
  • Explore history, science, and pop culture
  • Archive of past puzzles
  • No timers or tests
Currently charting
Read full description

Sharpen your mind with games that help you learn. Spark brings fascinating topics to life with thoughtful puzzles spanning ancient history, mythology, movies, food, geography, and more. With five unique games, Spark makes learning part of your routine. Each game offers a different way to explore a topic, and every one teaches you as you play. Spark’s games include: This or That: Choose between two options to learn more about each topic Links: Find the common thread connecting people, places, and ideas Chrono: Put events in order to see how history really unfolded Knockout: Uncover surprising comparisons in a series of fun head-to-head matchups Hindsight: Pinpoint when and where a photo was taken to uncover the story behind it All of Spark’s puzzles are crafted by experts, not AI, and designed to spark those “aha” moments that make ideas stick. Explore hundreds of topics, from ancient history to the animal kingdom. Along the way, you’ll uncover facts that are fun to learn and even better to share. From the creators of Elevate and Balance, Spark is part of a collection of mental fitness apps designed to strengthen your mind. For additional information, please read our Terms of Service (https://themindcompany.com/terms-and-conditions?from=spark) and Privacy Policy (https://themindcompany.com/privacy-policy?from=spark).

About

Orbis

Learn about global politics and history through concise, engaging lessons and daily news analysis. Understand the 'why' behind world events with interactive quizzes and flashcards. Explore country profiles and strategic locations to grasp the dynamics of international power.

Highlights
  • 500+ bite-sized lessons
  • Daily news with historical context
  • 3,500+ flashcards with spaced repetition
  • Quizzes and review sessions
  • Country, leader, and conflict profiles
  • Strategic chokepoint maps
  • Progress tracking and streaks
Features
Read full description

Geopolitics explains why Russia invaded Ukraine, why the US keeps 750 military bases overseas, and why a 39-kilometre strait near Iran can move the global economy. Orbis teaches how the world actually works — in bite-sized lessons that fit your commute. An IR scholar might study why the UN passed a resolution. A geopolitical analyst asks why it doesn’t matter. Orbis teaches you to think like the second one: no jargon, no dry academia, just causation — who wants what, who can take it, and why geography keeps deciding the winners. LEARN GEOPOLITICS, PROPERLY • 500+ lessons across every region and era, 5–15 minutes each • Courses include: World History: 12,000 Years of Civilization · Geopolitics Foundations · Russia: Empire to Superpower · China–Taiwan: The Unfinished Civil War · The Korean Peninsula · Rome: From Republic to Empire · The British Empire · The Ottoman Empire · The Cold War · The Chip War · Iran • Written to be finished — every lesson explains why, not just when READ THE NEWS. UNDERSTAND WHY. • Daily news with context: every headline linked to the history and power dynamics behind it • Follow the world’s flashpoints with the background that makes them make sense REMEMBER WHAT YOU LEARN • 3,500+ flashcards with spaced repetition • Quizzes after every lesson • Review sessions that resurface what you’re about to forget EXPLORE THE WORLD • Profiles of countries, leaders, and conflicts • Strategic chokepoints, from Hormuz to Malacca • GDP rankings, military balances, alliances, and nuclear arsenals — the numbers behind the power BUILD THE HABIT • Streaks, monthly recaps, and progress tracking • Five minutes of geopolitics a day is enough to read the news differently WHO ORBIS IS FOR • News readers who want the why, not just the what • Students of international relations, politics, and world history • Investors and professionals who need to understand country risk • Anyone who wants to know how power actually works Terms of Use: https://learnorbis.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://learnorbis.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Spark4 screens
Orbis4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Spark at 4.8 against Orbis's 3.7. Spark also leads on ratings volume (2.8K vs 3) and chart position (#97 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, 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. Spark sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Orbis sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Spark holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spark has 2.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of Spark's written reviews are positive against 100% of Orbis's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spark ships an update weekly, Orbis every 8 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Spark versus Orbis: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSparkOrbis
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.8K ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews92.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.8K — better3
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 8 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#97 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size151 MB96 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperThe Mind CompanyRuminski Labs OU

Customer experience

Spark

All ratings2,792 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral1.4%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews1,647 reviews
Positive92.6%
Neutral2.5%
Negative4.9%

Orbis

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Spark

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • AT&T blocking the website as potentially malicious

Requested features

2 requests
  • More games and puzzles
  • Dark mode option

Orbis

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Spark

Subscriptions9
  • Spark+$2.991 Month
  • Spark+$4.991 Month
  • Spark+$7.491 Month
Show 6 more
  • Spark+1 Year trial2 variants$39.991 Year
  • Spark+7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Spark+3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Spark+7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Spark+1 Year trial$59.991 Year
  • Spark+7 Days trial$79.991 Year
2 purchases

Orbis

Subscriptions2
  • Orbis Premium Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Orbis Premium Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Spark free?
Spark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Orbis free?
Orbis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spark or Orbis?
Spark is rated higher. Spark averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while Orbis averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Spark or Orbis have ads?
Both Spark and Orbis show ads.
Which is updated more often, Spark or Orbis?
Spark ships an update weekly, and Orbis every 8 days. Most recently, Spark was updated on November 10, 2026 and Orbis on November 10, 2026.

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