Comparison

ColdTrace vs Cold Case Tracer

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

Head to head
About

ColdTrace

Step into a simulated phone to solve a fictional cold case. Explore messages, photos, and notes to piece together a layered narrative and uncover the truth behind a mysterious event. Your choices and pace shape the investigation.

Highlights
  • Simulated phone interface exploration
  • Uncover layered narrative
  • Piece together timeline
  • Investigate messages, photos, notes
  • Multiple investigation threads
  • Fictional true crime experience
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/

About

Cold Case Tracer

Uncover the truth by examining a simulated phone's messages, photos, and data. Connect clues on an evidence board and accuse the killer in this interactive detective story. Your first case is free to play.

Highlights
  • Simulated phone with chats, photos, and data
  • Interactive live chat with client
  • Evidence board with red string connections
  • Escalating hint system
  • Multiple European case locations
  • Unlockable cases via subscription
Features
Read full description

Someone is lying. The phone knows. Redstring is a found-phone detective story. A client messages you in a live chat, hands you the victim's phone, and asks you to find the truth — from the first message to the final accusation. Every text, photo, voice memo, bank line and map ping is evidence. Read between the lines. Crack the passcodes. Pin the red string. Name the killer. YOUR FIRST CASE IS FREE Play "The Kessler File" from the opening message to the verdict — a full investigation, with no paywall in the middle of the story. A LIVE CHAT WITH THE CLIENT The person who knew the victim talks to you the whole way — asking the questions, reacting to your answers, and finally asking you to name a suspect. Type what you found; the story reacts. SNOOP A FULLY SIMULATED PHONE - Chats and DMs, including the deleted ones - A gallery with Hidden and Recently Deleted albums - Locked notes, voice memos, calendar, bank statements, browser tabs and location history - Every app can hide a clue. Nothing is random. PIN IT ON THE BOARD Your evidence board pins each discovery and links it with red string. Leave for days, come back, and the case is exactly where you left it — progress is saved per case. STUCK? ASK FOR A HINT Up to three escalating hints per question nudge you toward the evidence without spoiling the answer. Smart answer-matching understands what you mean. NAME THE TRUTH The final question is an accusation. Get it right and the case closes; get it wrong and you can reconsider the suspects. 10 CASES AT LAUNCH — MORE ON THE WAY Murder, disappearance, blackmail and betrayal across Europe — Paris, Berlin, Lisbon, Vienna, Amsterdam, Prague, Copenhagen and Barcelona. Fully playable in 8 languages. REDSTRING PASS Case 1 is free forever. The Redstring Pass unlocks every case: - Weekly: $4.99 per week - Annual: $29.99 per year - Lifetime: $39.99 one-time — not a subscription Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in Settings - Apple Account - Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://redstring-98526.web.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://redstring-98526.web.app/privacy.html Redstring is a work of interactive fiction. All characters, phones, messages and events are fictional; any resemblance to real people or events is coincidental. The app never accesses your real messages, photos or data.

Screenshots

ColdTrace4 screens
Cold Case Tracer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Cold Case Tracer at none against ColdTrace's shown. ColdTrace's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (5.3K vs 34). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. ColdTrace sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Cold Case Tracer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ColdTrace holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ColdTrace has 5.3K ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of ColdTrace's written reviews are positive against 25% of Cold Case Tracer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ColdTrace ships an update every 5 days, Cold Case Tracer every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
ColdTrace versus Cold Case Tracer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColdTraceCold Case Tracer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (5.3K ratings) — better4.4 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews33.2% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5.3K — better34
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 8 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#93 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size249 MB128 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperSaclic StudioOguzhan Yildirim

Customer experience

ColdTrace

All ratings5,322 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.5%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews304 reviews
Positive33.2%
Neutral19.1%
Negative47.7%

Cold Case Tracer

All ratings34 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative14.7%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

In-app purchases

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
  • Yearly Trial$34.991 Year
  • TrueCrime Yearly 2$34.991 Year
  • ColdTrace Yearly$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Cold Case Tracer

Subscriptions2
  • Redstring Pass — Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Redstring Pass — Annual$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • All Cases — Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is ColdTrace free?
ColdTrace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cold Case Tracer free?
Cold Case Tracer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ColdTrace or Cold Case Tracer?
ColdTrace is rated higher. ColdTrace averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings, while Cold Case Tracer averages 4.4 from 34 ratings.
Do ColdTrace or Cold Case Tracer have ads?
ColdTrace shows ads; Cold Case Tracer does not.
Which is updated more often, ColdTrace or Cold Case Tracer?
ColdTrace ships an update every 5 days, and Cold Case Tracer every 8 days. Most recently, ColdTrace was updated on September 27, 2026 and Cold Case Tracer on September 13, 2026.

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