Comparison

Fresh Trace vs Cold Case Trace

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

Head to head
About

Fresh Trace

Uncover the truth behind a found phone by exploring its fictional apps, chats, and files. Piece together clues across multiple episodes to solve interconnected mysteries and crack each case.

Highlights
  • Explore fictional phone apps
  • Analyze chats and photos
  • Review call logs and emails
  • Plot GPS and mic trails
  • Solve puzzles to unlock content
  • Collect clues on a Case Board
Features
Read full description

You found a phone. It isn't yours. And every app on it hides a piece of the truth. Fresh Trace is a fictional interactive detective game. Each episode drops a simulated phone into your hands — a missing girl's, a suspect's, even the villain's own device. Explore its fictional apps, connect the evidence, answer the case questions, and uncover what really happened. 13 STORY EPISODES — ONE CONNECTED MYSTERY • The Vanishing Signal — Elena disappeared after a message from an unknown number. • Room 913 — a fake booking, a cloned keycard, and a friend who was framed. • Platform Four — one phone, three signals, and a passenger who was never there. • The Red Folder — 212 copied pages that someone wanted shredded. • Last Seen Online — a goodbye post published five hours after the phone went dark. • The Handler — the final phone belongs to the one who planned it all. • ...and 7 more thrilling investigations that will lead you to a shocking conclusion. EXPLORE A PHONE LIKE A DETECTIVE • Read fictional chats and spot the message that doesn't add up. • Study the gallery — and ENHANCE photos to reveal hidden details. • Open notes, call transcripts, emails and their metadata, browser history, voice memos. • Check the fictional social feed: people lie, their posts don't. • Plot SIM, GPS and mic trails in the Signal Lab. Scan evidence. Match departure boards. Review camera footage. • Every correct answer opens new apps, files, and story content. • Locked folders need passwords — the hints are hidden in the story. • Collect every clue on your Case Board and reach 100% case completion. Subscription: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription with a free trial period will automatically renew to a paid subscription. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the rate of the selected plan. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to Account Settings after purchase. You can cancel your subscription or free trial in the iTunes settings at least 24-hours before the end of the free trial period. The cancellation will take effect the day after the last day of the current subscription period and you will be downgraded to the free service. Premium Subscription Unlimited Use, Regular Story Updates, No Ads Subscription options: Week Price: $ 5.99 Annual: $ 39.99 Eula: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms - https://sites.google.com/view/fresh-trace/terms Privacy - https://sites.google.com/view/fresh-trace/ptivacy

About

Cold Case Trace

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
Read full description

Someone is lying. The phone knows. Redstring is a found-phone detective story. A client messages you in a live chat, hands you the victim's phone, and asks you to find the truth — from the first message to the final accusation. Every text, photo, voice memo, bank line and map ping is evidence. Read between the lines. Crack the passcodes. Pin the red string. Name the killer. YOUR FIRST CASE IS FREE Play "The Kessler File" from the opening message to the verdict — a full investigation, with no paywall in the middle of the story. A LIVE CHAT WITH THE CLIENT The person who knew the victim talks to you the whole way — asking the questions, reacting to your answers, and finally asking you to name a suspect. Type what you found; the story reacts. SNOOP A FULLY SIMULATED PHONE - Chats and DMs, including the deleted ones - A gallery with Hidden and Recently Deleted albums - Locked notes, voice memos, calendar, bank statements, browser tabs and location history - Every app can hide a clue. Nothing is random. PIN IT ON THE BOARD Your evidence board pins each discovery and links it with red string. Leave for days, come back, and the case is exactly where you left it — progress is saved per case. STUCK? ASK FOR A HINT Up to three escalating hints per question nudge you toward the evidence without spoiling the answer. Smart answer-matching understands what you mean. NAME THE TRUTH The final question is an accusation. Get it right and the case closes; get it wrong and you can reconsider the suspects. 10 CASES AT LAUNCH — MORE ON THE WAY Murder, disappearance, blackmail and betrayal across Europe — Paris, Berlin, Lisbon, Vienna, Amsterdam, Prague, Copenhagen and Barcelona. Fully playable in 8 languages. REDSTRING PASS Case 1 is free forever. The Redstring Pass unlocks every case: - Weekly: $4.99 per week - Annual: $29.99 per year - Lifetime: $39.99 one-time — not a subscription Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in Settings - Apple Account - Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://redstring-98526.web.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://redstring-98526.web.app/privacy.html Redstring is a work of interactive fiction. All characters, phones, messages and events are fictional; any resemblance to real people or events is coincidental. The app never accesses your real messages, photos or data.

Screenshots

Fresh Trace4 screens
Cold Case Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cold Case Trace at 4.4 against Fresh Trace's 2.3. Cold Case Trace also leads on review sentiment (25% vs 0%) and ratings volume (62 vs 6). Fresh Trace's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Cold Case Trace sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Fresh Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cold Case Trace holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cold Case Trace has 62 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Fresh Trace's written reviews are positive against 25% of Cold Case Trace's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fresh Trace ships an update every 6 days, Cold Case Trace every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Fresh Trace versus Cold Case Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFresh TraceCold Case Trace
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (6 ratings)4.4 (62 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews25.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings662 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB135 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperVlad IvanovOguzhan Yildirim

Customer experience

Fresh Trace

All ratings6 ratings
Positive16.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral33.3%
Negative66.7%

Cold Case Trace

All ratings62 ratings
Positive83.9%
Neutral4.8%
Negative11.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Fresh Trace

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Cold Case Trace

Subscriptions3
  • Redstring Pass — Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Annual Pass — Special Offer$19.991 Year
  • Redstring Pass — Annual$39.991 Year
One-time4
  • Reveal the Answer$1.99
  • 5 Reveals$4.99
  • 10 Reveals$7.99
Show 1 more
  • All Cases — Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Fresh Trace free?
Fresh Trace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cold Case Trace free?
Cold Case Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Fresh Trace or Cold Case Trace?
Cold Case Trace is rated higher. Fresh Trace averages 2.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Cold Case Trace averages 4.4 from 62 ratings.
Do Fresh Trace or Cold Case Trace have ads?
Neither Fresh Trace nor Cold Case Trace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fresh Trace or Cold Case Trace?
Fresh Trace ships an update every 6 days, and Cold Case Trace every 9 days. Most recently, Fresh Trace was updated on October 24, 2026 and Cold Case Trace on October 24, 2026.

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