# Node vs Tidewall

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Node at none against Tidewall's 5. Node also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). Tidewall's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tidewall sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Node asks for nothing beyond the download.

Node ships an update every 4 days, Tidewall every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Node | Tidewall |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidewall/id6789813326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 118 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Ryan Boyling](https://appshunter.io/developer/1313437414) | [Mason Moran](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782451337) |

## What reviewers say

### Node

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/node-connect-color-dots/id6745188485)

Drag and drop colorful shapes onto a dotted grid to solve puzzles. Link matching colors to fill the board and advance through increasingly challenging levels. Enjoy a daily timed puzzle and compete on leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Drag and drop shape puzzles, Link matching colors, Endless unique levels, Daily timed challenges, Leaderboard competition, Satisfying haptics and sounds

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tidewall

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidewall/id6789813326)

Defend your coast from rising tides and incoming raiders by building walls, towers, and deploying various units. Engage in multiple game modes, from campaign to survival, and compete on global leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Build walls, towers, and deploy guards, Command naval units and aircraft, Dig underground factories, Multiple game modes: Campaign, Survival, Versus, Global leaderboards and career score, Offline and live multiplayer battles

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Pearls | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Pearls | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Units | $8.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Pearls | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hoard of Pearls | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Node free?

Node is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Tidewall free?

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

### Do Node or Tidewall have ads?

Both Node and Tidewall show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Node or Tidewall?

Node ships an update every 4 days, and Tidewall every 3 weeks. Most recently, Node was updated on October 3, 2026 and Tidewall on October 6, 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.*