# Detective Protocol vs Cold Case Bureau

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cold Case Bureau at 50% against Detective Protocol's 0%. Cold Case Bureau also leads on rating (4.2 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). Detective Protocol's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Detective Protocol sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Cold Case Bureau asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cold Case Bureau holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cold Case Bureau has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Detective Protocol's written reviews are positive against 50% of Cold Case Bureau's.

Detective Protocol ships an update every 8 days, Cold Case Bureau every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Detective Protocol | Cold Case Bureau |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detective-protocol-crime-sim/id6759249109/reviews) | **[4.2 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-case-bureau/id6775644891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 82 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Miguel Vieira](https://appshunter.io/developer/641139920) | [Thomas Masters](https://appshunter.io/developer/6773804308) |

## What reviewers say

### Detective Protocol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detective-protocol-crime-sim/id6759249109)

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Global Jurisdiction | $2.99 | one-time |
| Elite Training Module | $2.99 | one-time |
| Visual-Freq Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |
| Restricted Case Files | $2.99 | one-time |
| Director's Clearance | $9.99 | one-time |


### Cold Case Bureau

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-case-bureau/id6775644891)

Engage in a slow-paced mystery game where you analyze case files, evidence, and suspect testimonies to uncover contradictions. Piece together clues on your investigation board to solve crimes and advance your detective career through increasingly challenging tiers.

**Highlights:** Analyze case files and evidence, Identify contradictions in testimonies, Use an investigation board, Progress through difficulty tiers, Offline play, Reputation system

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Detective Protocol free?

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

### Is Cold Case Bureau free?

Cold Case Bureau is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Detective Protocol or Cold Case Bureau?

Cold Case Bureau is rated higher. Detective Protocol averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Cold Case Bureau averages 4.2 from 9 ratings.

### Do Detective Protocol or Cold Case Bureau have ads?

Detective Protocol shows ads; Cold Case Bureau does not.

### Which is updated more often, Detective Protocol or Cold Case Bureau?

Detective Protocol ships an update every 8 days, and Cold Case Bureau every 2 months. Most recently, Detective Protocol was updated on October 24, 2026 and Cold Case Bureau on October 24, 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.*