Spire vs Trace
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Spire
Read full descriptionHide full description
How high can you build? Spire is a one-tap stacking game that's beautifully simple and seriously addictive. Tap to drop each block, line it up perfectly, and watch your glowing tower climb to the sky. Miss, and the edges slice away. Nail it, and your spire grows. ONE-TAP, INSTANT FUN Just tap to drop. You'll learn it in seconds ā but the tower speeds up as you climb, so every floor tests your timing. CHASE PERFECT DROPS Line a block up dead-center for a PERFECT. Chain them for combos, regrow your tower, and send your score soaring. BEAT YOUR BEST Every run is a fresh shot at your high score. Pass your record and the screen erupts in celebration. 40+ THINGS TO UNLOCK Earn coins as you play and make Spire yours: - 11 block skins (Neon, Gold, Prism, Lava and more) - 10 backgrounds - 8 sound packs (Marimba, Arcade, Crystal, Music Box) - Celebration themes (confetti, footballs, fireworks and more) EARN BADGES Climb past 10, 50, 100, all the way to 500 to unlock achievement badges and bonus coins. MADE TO FEEL GREAT Satisfying haptics, a rising musical note on every perfect drop, and buttery-smooth motion. PLAYS ANYWHERE No account. No internet required. Just pure, relaxing stacking - anytime, anywhere. How high can you go? Download Spire and start climbing.
Trace
Read full descriptionHide full description
Trace is a minimalist brain puzzle game about memory and steady hands. Each level briefly reveals a maze ā walls or a glowing path ā and then it's gone. Now retrace the route from start to finish in one continuous gesture. From memory. No timer on the solve phase. You don't have to be fast. You have to remember, and trust what you remember. BRAIN TRAINING Trace works as a daily exercise for short-term memory, spatial reasoning, and focused attention. A few seconds to absorb the maze, then it's just you and the trace you draw from memory. Short sessions, real cognitive load ā five to ten minutes a day adds up. CORE MECHANIC ⢠Memorize the maze in 3ā8 seconds ⢠Draw the solution in one unbroken motion ⢠Fail, retry ā but tougher levels don't fully reset CHECKPOINT FLAGS Before each attempt you can plant a flag mid-path. If your stroke reaches the flag but fails later, that section banks ā next try starts already-completed up to the flag. The game rewards careful play, not frantic retries. FOUR CHAPTERS ⢠Spark ā tutorial, simple paths ⢠Echo ā 3Ć3 and 4Ć4 walls ⢠Dusk ā start and finish hidden during memorization ⢠Abyss ā 5Ć5+ grids, sometimes rotated between memorize and draw WHAT IT TRAINS ⢠Short-term memory ā hold the path in mind after a brief reveal ⢠Spatial reasoning ā a route, not a picture ⢠Concentration ā one steady gesture demands certainty ⢠Attention to detail ā every cell matters LOOK Clean geometry, calm palette, nothing extra on screen. Dark and light themes ā switch manually or follow system. WHO IT'S FOR For people who like puzzles calibrated to demand attention, not reflexes. Calm focus, not speed. Made for the 5ā15 minutes between things ā and effective as a regular memory workout. svyatoslavdp@gmail.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trace at none against Spire's 5. Spire's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs weekly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Spire sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.
Spire ships an update daily, Trace weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spire | Trace |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Daily ā better | Weekly |
| Ads | No ā better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod ā better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 14.0 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kalpesh Mistry | Sviatoslav Pavlov |
In-app purchases
Spire
- Handful of Coins$0.99
- Stack of Coins$2.99
- Unlock Everything$4.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Vault of Coins$5.99
- Mountain of Coins$9.99
Trace
No in-app purchases






