# Stack Star vs Thrive Merge

The clearest difference is update cadence: Stack Star at daily against Thrive Merge's every 5 days. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stack Star sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Thrive Merge sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stack Star ships an update daily, Thrive Merge every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stack Star | Thrive Merge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 5 days |
| Size | 263 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Moonstep Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827009450) | [Rafael Ton](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893420121) |

## What reviewers say

### Stack Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-star-color-sort/id6770474297)

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Coins | $29.99 | one-time |
| 50000 Coins | $59.99 | one-time |
| 100000 Coins | $89.99 | one-time |


### Thrive Merge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrive-merge/id6772612809)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Energy Drink | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Gym & Fitness | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Wellness Retreat | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Sports Academy | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stack Star free?

Stack Star is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Thrive Merge free?

Thrive Merge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Stack Star or Thrive Merge have ads?

Both Stack Star and Thrive Merge show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stack Star or Thrive Merge?

Stack Star ships an update daily, and Thrive Merge every 5 days. Most recently, Stack Star was updated on September 16, 2026 and Thrive Merge on September 23, 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.*