# Merge Chain 3D! vs Thread the Bolt

The clearest difference is rating: Thread the Bolt at 4.1 against Merge Chain 3D!'s 3.0. Thread the Bolt also leads on ratings volume (100 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Thread the Bolt holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thread the Bolt has 100 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merge Chain 3D! | Thread the Bolt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-chain-3d/id6756794059/reviews) | **[4.1 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thread-the-bolt/id6760549827/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **100** |
| Positive reviews | — | 34.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 196 MB | 141 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MOBILE ESPORTS Sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702144132) | [RAHMAN BIN ADEN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177342882) |

## What reviewers say

### Merge Chain 3D!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-chain-3d/id6756794059)

A relaxing yet challenging number puzzle game where matching numbers creates score multipliers. Plan your moves, use boosters, and complete quests to master the evolving board. Perfect for quick sessions or deep puzzle runs.

**Highlights:** Strategic number merging, Score multipliers, Helpful boosters, Hundreds of quests, Endless evolving gameplay, Easy to learn, hard to master

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thread the Bolt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thread-the-bolt/id6760549827)

A strategic puzzle game where players must fit colored blocks into a designated area. Blocks can only be cleared when placed under a matching colored nut, requiring careful planning and color matching to solve each level.

**Highlights:** Color-matching block placement, Strategic move planning, Limited space management, Board clearing puzzles, Precision fitting challenges

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merge Chain 3D! free?

Merge Chain 3D! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Thread the Bolt free?

Thread the Bolt is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Merge Chain 3D! or Thread the Bolt?

Thread the Bolt is rated higher. Merge Chain 3D! averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Thread the Bolt averages 4.1 from 100 ratings.

### Do Merge Chain 3D! or Thread the Bolt have ads?

Both Merge Chain 3D! and Thread the Bolt show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Merge Chain 3D! or Thread the Bolt?

Merge Chain 3D! ships an update fortnightly, and Thread the Bolt fortnightly. Most recently, Merge Chain 3D! was updated on October 30, 2026 and Thread the Bolt 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.*