# The Merge Spire vs Stack Star

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Merge Spire at none against Stack Star's 10. The Merge Spire also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stack Star sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. The Merge Spire asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Merge Spire ships an update every 6 days, Stack Star every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Merge Spire | Stack Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-star-color-sort/id6770474297/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 361 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yejoon kim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857502890) | [Moonstep Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827009450) |

## What reviewers say

### The Merge Spire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-merge-spire-stack-and-merge/id6755941732)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Stack Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-star-color-sort/id6770474297)

A satisfying puzzle game where players strategically move colorful blocks between columns to organize them by color. It offers hundreds of handcrafted logic puzzles with simple-to-learn yet challenging gameplay that rewards careful planning.

**Highlights:** Unique color stacking gameplay, Organize blocks by color, Hundreds of logic puzzles, Easy to learn, challenging to master, Smooth animations, Discover new mechanics

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Star Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| Super Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Mega Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| Giant Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| 50000 Coins | $59.99 | one-time |
| 100000 Coins | $89.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Bundle | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Merge Spire free?

The Merge Spire is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Stack Star free?

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

### Do The Merge Spire or Stack Star have ads?

Stack Star shows ads; The Merge Spire does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Merge Spire or Stack Star?

The Merge Spire ships an update every 6 days, and Stack Star every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Merge Spire was updated on October 28, 2026 and Stack Star on November 5, 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.*