# Pencil Loop! vs Shut the Box

Pencil Loop! and Shut the Box both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 41% of Pencil Loop!'s written reviews are positive against 7% of Shut the Box's. Pencil Loop! also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). Shut the Box's advantage is chart position (#156 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pencil Loop! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Shut the Box sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Pencil Loop! against 4.8 for Shut the Box. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 757 and 2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of Pencil Loop!'s written reviews are positive against 7% of Shut the Box's.

Pencil Loop! ships an update every 10 days, Shut the Box every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pencil Loop! | Shut the Box |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (757 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-loop/id6753226130/reviews) | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shut-the-box-classic-dice/id6758047069/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 757 | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | **41.4% of reviews** | 7.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#156** |
| Size | 496 MB | 331 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rollic Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452111779) | [FunCraft, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482426779) |

## What reviewers say

### Pencil Loop!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-loop/id6753226130)

Engage in a relaxing art puzzle game where you guide pencil boxes through a loop to sharpen and color them. Reveal vibrant hidden images step by step with simple logic and satisfying animations. Enjoy hundreds of handcrafted levels for a calming yet addictive experience.

**Highlights:** Sharpen and color pencil boxes, Reveal hidden colorful images, Hundreds of handcrafted levels, Relaxing, no-timer gameplay, Offline play, Simple one-touch controls

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coin Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Rescue Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 2 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Mini Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 3 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Medium Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| Super Offer | $29.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 4 | $29.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 5 | $54.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 6 | $99.99 | one-time |


### Shut the Box

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shut-the-box-classic-dice/id6758047069)

**Currently charting:** #156 Top Free · Family (US App Store)

Experience a classic dice strategy game with modern visuals and competitive play. Roll dice, flip tiles, and aim to close them all to win. Offers real-time PvP, global leaderboards, and customizable dice.

**Highlights:** Classic strategy game optimized for mobile, Real-time PvP battles, Global leaderboards, Customizable dice and themes, Friends Mode and Tournament Play, Intuitive gameplay with physics-based dice rolls, Brain training for math and probability skills

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Special Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Few Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| A Pile of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Basic Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| A Bag of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Special Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| A Jar of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| A Bucket of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pencil Loop! free?

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

### Is Shut the Box free?

Shut the Box is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pencil Loop! or Shut the Box?

Shut the Box is rated higher. Pencil Loop! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 757 ratings, while Shut the Box averages 4.8 from 2K ratings.

### Do Pencil Loop! or Shut the Box have ads?

Both Pencil Loop! and Shut the Box show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pencil Loop! or Shut the Box?

Pencil Loop! ships an update every 10 days, and Shut the Box every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pencil Loop! was updated on November 5, 2026 and Shut the Box on November 9, 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.*