# CluePhone vs Cold Case Trace

The clearest difference is rating: Cold Case Trace at 4.4 against CluePhone's 3.1. Cold Case Trace also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and ratings volume (62 vs 7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CluePhone sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days and Cold Case Trace sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cold Case Trace holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cold Case Trace has 62 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of CluePhone's written reviews are positive against 25% of Cold Case Trace's.

CluePhone ships an update every 4 days, Cold Case Trace every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CluePhone | Cold Case Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluephone-detective-game/id6787150787/reviews) | **[4.4 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-case-trace-redstring/id6788852743/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **62** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **25.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 35 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [fatma atalay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851033083) | [Oguzhan Yildirim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685663174) |

## What reviewers say

### CluePhone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cluephone-detective-game/id6787150787)

Explore a stranger's phone to uncover clues and solve mysteries. Piece together messages, photos, and more to crack fictional cases. Test your detective skills in a challenging, immersive experience.

**Highlights:** Explore a fictional phone with 16 apps, Immersive mystery stories, Detective Mode for case solving, Available in 47 languages, Fully offline gameplay, Unlock content with Stalkie Pro

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stalkie Pro Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Stalkie Pro — Annual | $29.99 | per year |


### Cold Case Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cold-case-trace-redstring/id6788852743)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Redstring Pass — Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual Pass — Special Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Redstring Pass — Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Reveal the Answer | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 Reveals | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10 Reveals | $7.99 | one-time |
| All Cases — Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CluePhone free?

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

### Is Cold Case Trace free?

Cold Case Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, CluePhone or Cold Case Trace?

Cold Case Trace is rated higher. CluePhone averages 3.1 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Cold Case Trace averages 4.4 from 62 ratings.

### Do CluePhone or Cold Case Trace have ads?

Neither CluePhone nor Cold Case Trace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CluePhone or Cold Case Trace?

CluePhone ships an update every 4 days, and Cold Case Trace every 9 days. Most recently, CluePhone was updated on October 21, 2026 and Cold Case Trace on October 24, 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.*