Comparison

Thread vs Squircle Shift

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

Head to head
About

Thread

A serene logic puzzle game where you sort colored dots and connect pipe segments to trace a path. Enjoy procedurally generated challenges with no timers or pressure, designed for a calming experience.

Highlights
  • Sort colored dots
  • Connect pipe segments
  • Procedurally generated puzzles
  • No timer or pressure
  • Ambient soundtrack
  • Haptic feedback
Features
Read full description

Thread is a quiet logic puzzle for people who need a moment. Sort colored dots into matching rows. Rotate and connect pipe segments to form a path through the board. When everything lines up, trace the thread from one end to the other — and feel it click. No timer. No lives. No pressure. Just a puzzle waiting to be solved. WHAT MAKES THREAD DIFFERENT · Two puzzles in one: sort the colors and connect the thread simultaneously · Every puzzle is procedurally generated — infinite variety, always solvable · Swap any dot with any other, or long-hold to rotate pipe pieces · Anchored dots that won't move. Weighted dots that inch forward one step at a time. · A swap limit that gets tighter as you progress — efficiency matters DESIGNED FOR CALM · No ads. No notifications. No streaks. No manipulative mechanics. · Seven handcrafted color palettes inspired by the Pacific Northwest · Original ambient soundtrack composed for the game · Haptics that build to a satisfying crescendo as you trace the final thread · Badges and stats that quietly reward how you play UNLOCK EVERYTHING ONCE The first two tiers are free. One purchase unlocks all current and future content — no subscription, no consumables. Thread is made by Petrichor Games, an independent studio in the Pacific Northwest.

About

Squircle Shift

Features
Read full description

A tranquil, minimalist spatial phenomenon where out-of-the-box thinking and precise color frame alignments offer total mental clarity. Escape noisy, over-stimulating games and discover true mental calm! Designed for thinkers seeking refined simplicity, this aesthetic puzzle experience invites you to slide rounded squares (squircles) into matching colored frames. While the rules are deceptively easy, solving these handcrafted challenges demands genuine creative intuition and lateral thinking—where a single brilliant move can unlock solutions you've contemplated for days! Enhanced by a subtle visual aesthetic, soothing ambient music, and intuitive one-handed controls, enjoy a peaceful sanctuary featuring 48 initial handcrafted levels, a smooth puzzle previewer, and a powerful undo mechanism.

Screenshots

Thread4 screens
Squircle Shift4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Squircle Shift at none against Thread's 1. Squircle Shift also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Thread's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price 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. Thread sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Squircle Shift asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Thread versus Squircle Shift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThreadSquircle Shift
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size78 MB104 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJesse SnyderMong Xuan Luong Hoang

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Thread

One-time1
  • Thread: A Quiet Puzzle$2.99
None

Squircle Shift

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Thread free?
Thread is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Squircle Shift free?
Squircle Shift is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Thread or Squircle Shift have ads?
Squircle Shift shows ads; Thread does not.

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