# Busy Shapes vs Simple Machines by Tinybop

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Busy Shapes at 69% against Simple Machines by Tinybop's 37%. Busy Shapes also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Busy Shapes costs $2.99 and Simple Machines by Tinybop $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Busy Shapes holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Busy Shapes has 409 ratings behind it against 62, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Busy Shapes's written reviews are positive against 37% of Simple Machines by Tinybop's.

Busy Shapes ships an update every 2 months, Simple Machines by Tinybop every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Busy Shapes | Simple Machines by Tinybop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.0 (409 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busy-shapes/id722784048/reviews)** | [3.7 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-machines-by-tinybop/id936966570/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **409** | 62 |
| Positive reviews | **69.2% of reviews** | 37.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 41 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EDOKI ACADEMY](https://appshunter.io/developer/555989645) | [Tinybop Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/682046582) |

## What reviewers say

### Busy Shapes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busy-shapes/id722784048)

This app helps young children develop reasoning skills and intelligence through engaging puzzles. It adapts to each child's learning pace and offers a kid-friendly design with innovative controls.

**Highlights:** Shape matching puzzles, Real-time progress dashboard, Kid-friendly swipe control, Adaptive difficulty with AI, Guided Access for safety, Exploratory digital playground

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Engaging and challenging
- 👍 Great for toddlers and young kids
- 💡 Clever puzzle design
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Helps develop problem-solving skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Loses progress
- 🔋 Repetitive after a while
- 🐛 Sound issues

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't open or load
- Reset function doesn't work
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to save progress
- More variety in levels and challenges
- Parental controls and time limits


### Simple Machines by Tinybop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-machines-by-tinybop/id936966570)

Explore the playful side of physics and learn about simple machines through interactive experiments. Kids can discover how levers, pulleys, and other mechanisms work by building and testing them in a digital sandbox environment. This app is designed to spark curiosity and understanding of scientific principles.

**Highlights:** Explore 6 simple machines, Experiment with real-world physics, Investigate physics at work, Learn about force and motion, Kid-friendly design, Interactive labels in 40+ languages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and design
- 🧠 Educational and informative
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Good for kids and learning
- 💡 Sparks curiosity and imagination
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😴 Boring and repetitive
- 💸 Expensive for limited content
- 🤷‍♂️ Lacks clear goals or objectives
- 🤏 Limited interaction and content
- 🚫 Not a game, more of a toy

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes immediately on launch
- Cannot install after purchase
- App crashes after loading screen
- No sound
- Does not work

**Requested features**

- Add a creative building mode
- More levels and modules
- Sandbox mode
- Ability to build own machines
- More interactive elements


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Busy Shapes free?

Busy Shapes costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Simple Machines by Tinybop free?

Simple Machines by Tinybop costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Busy Shapes or Simple Machines by Tinybop?

Busy Shapes is rated higher. Busy Shapes averages 4.0 out of 5 from 409 ratings, while Simple Machines by Tinybop averages 3.7 from 62 ratings.

### Do Busy Shapes or Simple Machines by Tinybop have ads?

Neither Busy Shapes nor Simple Machines by Tinybop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Busy Shapes or Simple Machines by Tinybop?

Busy Shapes ships an update every 2 months, and Simple Machines by Tinybop every 4 months. Most recently, Busy Shapes was updated on November 1, 2026 and Simple Machines by Tinybop on November 1, 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.*