Comparison

Pixel vs Category Stack

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

Head to head
About

Pixel

Features
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Collect every Pixel. Master ice, fire and traps. Reach the Plenum. Pixel: The Challenge is a 3D puzzle game in the spirit of the great tile-based logic classics โ€” completely re-built and yours to master. On every level you gather all the Pixels, find the right keys, and cross water, ice, conveyor belts and monsters until the Plenum portal opens. The logic is grid-clear and deterministic, just like the classics โ€” but the world is real 3D with smooth animation. Best of all: every one of the 80 levels is provably solvable. A solver works out each solution in advance and stores a replay. No level is down to luck. None is unfair. 80 BASE LEVELS INCLUDED ยท 50 OPTIONAL PREMIUM LEVELS The app purchase includes all 80 base levels across 8 worlds. For more challenges, the optional โ€œPremium Pack โ€“ The Plenumโ€ unlocks 50 additional levels with a one-time in-app purchase. Purchased premium levels remain available and purchases can be restored. No subscriptions, no currency, no energy timers, no ads. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT โ€ข 80 hand-crafted levels across 8 worlds โ€” every one guaranteed solvable โ€ข Classic logic, real 3D โ€” plan it, solve it, execute it cleanly โ€ข Two art styles โ€” switch between Voxel (chunky and bright) and Low-Poly (soft and modern) at any time โ€ข Three cameras โ€” third-person, first-person or top-down; see the puzzle your way โ€ข Fair for everyone โ€” chase 3 stars as a pro, or switch on Casual mode with no time pressure โ€ข Stuck? Watch the solution โ€” a built-in walkthrough shows the proven path โ€ข 100% ad-free โ€” no ads, no tracking, no pop-ups, plays offline WHAT STANDS IN YOUR WAY Keys and doors, water, fire, slippery ice, conveyor belts, bombs, teleporters, cloning machines, switches and buttons โ€” and all sorts of monsters that move on their own. WANT A LOOK FIRST? The first 20 levels can be played for free in your browser, no download and no account: https://pixelplenum.com/pixel-the-challenge.html Like what you find there? The app gives you the same game with all 80 levels, offline and without a browser. LANGUAGES Interface and level texts in English, German, French and Spanish. No ads. No tracking. Just you, the grid, and the way out.

About

Category Stack

Features
Read full description

Category Stack is a satisfying puzzle game where you solve puzzles by matching visual and word cards with the categories they belong to. Study each card carefully, discover the connection between them, and place each one into the correct category. Some cards use pictures, while others use words, challenging your logic, vocabulary, and ability to spot relationships. Every correct match brings you one step closer to completing the level. Game Features: Unique category-matching puzzle mechanic A fun mix of picture and word cards Simple to learn, increasingly strategic to master Fresh categories with clever obstacles and challenges Relaxing and rewarding gameplay you can enjoy anytime Can you find where every card belongs and complete all the categories?

Screenshots

Pixel4 screens
Category Stack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Category Stack at Free against Pixel's $1.99. Pixel's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On update cadence, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Category Stack is free to download; Pixel costs $1.99 up front. Pixel sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Category Stack sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pixel ships an update every 6 weeks, Category Stack every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Pixel versus Category Stack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPixelCategory Stack
Price$1.99Free โ€” better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks โ€” better
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size30 MB253 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStefan HergertBatuhan UCA

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Pixel

One-time1
  • Full Game (80 Levels)$4.99
7 purchases

Category Stack

One-time7
  • Gold Pack 1$1.99
  • Gold Pack 2$7.99
  • No Ads Pack$7.99
Show 4 more
  • Gold Pack 3$14.99
  • Gold Pack 4$29.99
  • Gold Pack 5$54.99
  • Gold Pack 6$99.99

Questions

Is Pixel free?
Pixel costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Category Stack free?
Category Stack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pixel or Category Stack have ads?
Category Stack shows ads; Pixel does not.
Which is updated more often, Pixel or Category Stack?
Pixel ships an update every 6 weeks, and Category Stack every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pixel was updated on October 6, 2026 and Category Stack on October 17, 2026.

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