Comparison

Meld Mish vs ColdTrace

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Meld Mish

Read full description

Meld is the real-time face-sketching game where you and another person draw each other, then reveal your creations overlaid on your actual faces using augmented reality and on-device AI. HOW IT WORKS Create or join a room with a simple code Take a selfie so your partner can draw you Sketch their face on a full creative canvas Hit reveal -> a 3-2-1 countdown builds anticipation Watch their drawing morph onto your live face through your front camera THREE WAYS TO PLAY • Date Night - Romantic mode for couples • Mish-Mash - Party mode for groups with timed rounds • Solo Practice - Sharpen your skills on your own CREATIVE TOOLS • Multiple brush types including Glow and Neon effects • Full color palette with adjustable stroke width • Premium stroke textures for fine detail • Sticker packs to add flair to your drawings • Eraser and undo for precise control AR FACE REVEAL Meld uses on-device machine learning to map your partner's drawing directly onto your face in real time. No cloud processing -> fast, private, and magical. SOCIAL FEATURES • Sign in with Apple or Google in seconds • Melders panel -> Add friends, see who's online, quick-invite to rooms • Push notifications for friend requests and drawing submissions • Gallery to save, revisit, and share your favorite AR moments SAFE & PRIVATE • All drawings and selfies are automatically scanned for content safety • Face detection runs entirely on-device -> your camera feed never leaves your phone • Sign in with Apple supported, with the option to hide your email • Room data is automatically deleted after 7 days • Delete your account and data anytime from Settings FREE TO PLAY, YOUR CHOICE TO UNLOCK Your first face-morph reveal each day is always free. After that, you choose how to keep playing: • Watch a short rewarded video for a 24-hour all-access pass • Buy a 24-Hour Pass to skip ads for a day • Go Lifetime Premium for full access to every feature, forever • Add the Pro Brush Pack, Premium Strokes, or Sticker Packs à la carte Download Meld and start sketching!

About

ColdTrace

Step into a simulated phone investigation to uncover the truth behind a cold case. Explore messages, photos, and notes to piece together a layered narrative and determine if an event was an accident.

Highlights
  • Simulated phone interface exploration
  • Uncover layered narratives
  • Piece together timelines
  • Interactive investigation
  • Multiple investigation threads
Features
Read full description

A phone. A cold case. The truth is buried somewhere in between. ColdTrace puts you inside a real investigation, or at least, it feels that way. Navigate a stranger's phone, piece together the timeline, and decide: was it really an accident? AN IMMERSIVE FICTIONAL EXPERIENCE • Explore a fully simulated phone interface: messages, photos, notes, voicemails • Uncover a layered narrative where every clue matters • Multiple threads to follow, one truth to uncover FEEL THE TENSION The line between player and investigator blurs. You're not watching the story unfold, you're living it. Every deleted file, every text thread, every timestamp brings you closer to the answer. YOUR INVESTIGATION, YOUR PACE ColdTrace is not a passive experience. What you read, what you dig into, and when, it all shapes your understanding of what happened. For fans of interactive fiction, true crime podcasts, and crime documentaries who want to go deeper. ColdTrace is a fictional narrative experience. All characters and events are entirely invented. Note: Some chapters require a Premium unlock. Some investigations are available for free, while the complete experience can be unlocked through an in-app purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Meld Mish4 screens
ColdTrace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Meld Mish at none against ColdTrace's shown. ColdTrace's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#111 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Meld Mish sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and ColdTrace sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Meld Mish ships an update every 3 weeks, ColdTrace every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Meld Mish versus ColdTrace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMeld MishColdTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (6.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews—37.6% of reviews
Number of ratings—6.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#111 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB194 MB
Age rating17+9+
DeveloperAlston Devero-BelfonSaclic Studio

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Meld Mish

One-time6
  • 24-Hour All-Access Pass$0.99
  • Party Mode Pass (3 Hours)$0.99
  • Sticker Pack — Onomatopoeia$0.99
Show 3 more
  • Premium Stroke Pack$1.99
  • Pro Brush Pack$1.99
  • Meld Premium — Lifetime Unlock$4.99
8 purchases

ColdTrace

Subscriptions8
  • Cold Trace$6.997 Days
  • ColdTrace Yearly$9.991 Year
  • ColdTrace Weekly$9.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • ColdTrace Premium3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • ColdTrace$19.991 Year
  • ColdTrace Yearly$34.991 Year
  • Yearly Trial3 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • TrueCrime Yearly 2$34.991 Year

Questions

Is Meld Mish free?
Meld Mish is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ColdTrace free?
ColdTrace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Meld Mish or ColdTrace have ads?
ColdTrace shows ads; Meld Mish does not.
Which is updated more often, Meld Mish or ColdTrace?
Meld Mish ships an update every 3 weeks, and ColdTrace every 5 days. Most recently, Meld Mish was updated on October 31, 2026 and ColdTrace on November 4, 2026.

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