Comparison

Layer by Layers vs Gumball!

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

Head to head
About

Layer by Layers

Features
Read full description

Layer by Layer is a relaxing block sorting puzzle where every tap matters. Tap colorful blocks, sort them by color, and complete each tile layer by layer. Fill the board with the right pieces, clear each area, and unlock new colors as the puzzle opens up. Simple to play, satisfying to solve. Enjoy calm gameplay, clean visuals, and clever block puzzles with new challenges like ice, layers, shutters, and screw blocks. Tap, sort, relax, and complete every layer.

About

Gumball!

A relaxing puzzle game where you sort colorful gumballs into prize capsules. Enjoy a satisfying, untimed sorting experience reminiscent of classic gumball machines. Play with one hand and unwind with thousands of levels.

Highlights
  • Relaxing ball sorting gameplay
  • Gumball machine theme
  • Untimed levels
  • One-handed play
  • Thousands of levels
  • Collectibles and boosters
Features
Read full description

Remember those capsule gumball machines growing up? Gumball! is the relaxing ball sort puzzle that brings that feeling back. Swap colorful gumballs, snap on a lid, and unwind with every tap. Gumball! is a free ball sort puzzle. Tap a prize capsule, swap matching gumballs into another, and keep going until every capsule is one perfect color. No timer. No rush. Just a clean, satisfying sort you can play with one hand. This is the gumball machine as a puzzle. The tubes are prize capsules. The balls are candy colored gumballs. When a capsule fills with four of a kind, the lid snaps on, the capsule shrinks, and it drops into the machine. The machine fills as you play. HOW TO PLAY • Tap a capsule, then tap another. • Matching gumballs swap over if the colors match and there is room. • Fill every capsule with a single color to win. Glass clinks. Lids thunk. Capsules rattle into the globe. It scratches the same itch as a ball sort, color sort, water sort, or marble sort, just quieter and wrapped in a toy you already know. • Untimed levels you can finish in a minute or sit with for a while. • One finger. Portrait. Couch, commute, or in bed. • Thousands of levels, including HARD and SUPER HARD. • Mystery foil gumballs and new capsule twists as you go. • A gumball machine that opens onto collectibles, coins, and boosters when you fill it. If you want a relaxing color sort that still feels like a toy, not a kids cartoon and not a mess of pop ups, this is it. Bright, simple, and hard to put down, like the grocery store machine you remember. Open it after a long day. In a waiting room. One more level in bed. Play until the machine is full. Swap the colors. Make the machine happy. Gumball! from Staple Games. Support: staplegames.com/contact.html Privacy: staplegames.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Layer by Layers4 screens
Gumball!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Layer by Layers at none against Gumball!'s 10. Layer by Layers also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support 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. Gumball! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Layer by Layers asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Layer by Layers ships an update every 2 days, Gumball! weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Layer by Layers versus Gumball!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLayer by LayersGumball!
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (119 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—119 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size219 MB73 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperFat Cat With a HatStaple Games

In-app purchases

None

Layer by Layers

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Gumball!

One-time10
  • Starter Bundle$1.99
  • 1,000 Coins$1.99
  • Helper Pack$7.99
Show 7 more
  • 5,000 Coins$7.99
  • 10,000 Coins$14.99
  • Power Pack$19.99
  • 25,000 Coins$29.99
  • Mega Pack$49.99
  • 60,000 Coins$59.99
  • 110,000 Coins$99.99

Questions

Is Layer by Layers free?
Layer by Layers is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gumball! free?
Gumball! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Layer by Layers or Gumball! have ads?
Both Layer by Layers and Gumball! show ads.
Which is updated more often, Layer by Layers or Gumball!?
Layer by Layers ships an update every 2 days, and Gumball! weekly. Most recently, Layer by Layers was updated on September 30, 2026 and Gumball! on October 13, 2026.

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