# Tesserae! vs Stack and Shatter

The clearest difference is rating: Stack and Shatter at 5.0 against Tesserae!'s 3.0. Tesserae!'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tesserae! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Stack and Shatter sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stack and Shatter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Tesserae! ships an update weekly, Stack and Shatter every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tesserae! | Stack and Shatter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tesserae/id6746950169/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-and-shatter/id6759916699/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tap Things, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/458934066) | [Brian Solomon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1847626540) |

## What reviewers say

### Tesserae!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tesserae/id6746950169)

A minimalist puzzle game focused on calm, strategic tile-matching. Swipe, jump, and combine tiles across handcrafted boards to clear the grid. Offers a distraction-free experience with no ads or timers.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, Handcrafted puzzle boards, Strategic tile combination, Multiple solution paths, Leaderboard scoring, iCloud sync, Game Center achievements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tesserae+ Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |


### Stack and Shatter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-and-shatter/id6759916699)

A precision stacking game where timing is crucial for building combos and multiplying your score.  Navigate increasingly challenging levels with escalating speeds and risk-reward mechanics. Enjoy satisfying visual and haptic feedback as you aim for the top of the leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Precision block stacking, Combo system with score and speed multipliers, 100 levels across 10 themed zones, Dynamic visual and haptic feedback, Game Center leaderboards, Offline play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 500 Shards | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Shards | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tesserae! free?

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

### Is Stack and Shatter free?

Stack and Shatter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tesserae! or Stack and Shatter?

Stack and Shatter is rated higher. Tesserae! averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Stack and Shatter averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Tesserae! or Stack and Shatter have ads?

Stack and Shatter shows ads; Tesserae! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tesserae! or Stack and Shatter?

Tesserae! ships an update weekly, and Stack and Shatter every 2 months. Most recently, Tesserae! was updated on November 5, 2026 and Stack and Shatter 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.*