# Shadowmatic vs Hidden Folks

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hidden Folks at none against Shadowmatic's 5. Hidden Folks also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 2.1K). Shadowmatic's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Shadowmatic costs $3.99 and Hidden Folks $4.99 up front. Shadowmatic sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Hidden Folks asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Shadowmatic against 4.9 for Hidden Folks. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hidden Folks has 13K ratings behind it against 2.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Shadowmatic's written reviews are positive against 93% of Hidden Folks's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadowmatic | Hidden Folks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmatic/id775888026/reviews) | **[4.9 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hidden-folks/id1133544923/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.1K | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | 85.8% of reviews | **93.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #26 | **#18** |
| Size | 388 MB | 247 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TRIADA Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/775888029) | [Hidden Folks B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6774541455) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadowmatic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmatic/id775888026)

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Paid · Family, #65 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Rotate abstract objects in a spotlight to cast recognizable silhouettes. Explore unique environments with captivating music and stunning visuals. Discover unexpected shapes and solve mind-bending puzzles.

**Highlights:** Rotate abstract objects, Create recognizable silhouettes, Stunning visuals, Relaxing gameplay, Unique thematic environments, Assistant button for hints

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack of 20 Hint-Points | $0.99 | one-time |
| "Other Worlds" chapter | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 50 Hint-Points | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 150 Hint-Points | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 500 Hint-Points | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Unique and creative gameplay
- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🧠 Challenging puzzles that exercise the mind
- 🎶 Soothing background music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Precision issues with controls, especially for complex puzzles
- 🤔 Unclear objectives at times, making it difficult to understand what the desired solution is
- ⏱️ Frustration when getting stuck on a puzzle for a long time
- 👀 Difficult for left-handed players due to the positioning of the controls

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on certain devices, especially newer iPad models
- Progress not saving properly, causing players to lose progress

**Requested features**

- More levels and new puzzle types to keep the game fresh
- Ability to save progress and resume puzzles
- Option to mirror the game screen for left-handed players
- Hints that provide more useful guidance, not just the final solution


### Hidden Folks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hidden-folks/id1133544923)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Paid · Family, #42 Top Paid · Adventure (US App Store)

Explore charming, hand-drawn worlds to find hidden characters. Interact with the environment by opening doors, cutting bushes, and more to reveal them. Unlock new areas as you discover enough targets.

**Highlights:** Hand-drawn interactive landscapes, Hundreds of targets to find, Unique environmental interactions, Multiple color modes, iMessage stickers, Community-translated languages

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Charming, quirky art style
- 👍 Engaging, interactive gameplay
- 👍 Clever, humorous sound effects
- 👍 Relaxing, no-pressure experience
- 👍 Highly detailed, layered scenes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Some objects too small/hard to find
- 🔍 Difficulty level can be inconsistent
- 🔍 Lack of ability to zoom out on larger maps
- 💰 Paid updates/expansions required

**Reported bugs**

- Conveyor belt issue on factory level
- Certain hidden objects not appearing

**Requested features**

- More levels/content updates
- Ability to save/resume progress
- Customizable hint system
- Randomized/procedurally generated levels


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadowmatic free?

Shadowmatic costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Hidden Folks free?

Hidden Folks costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shadowmatic or Hidden Folks?

Hidden Folks is rated higher. Shadowmatic averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Hidden Folks averages 4.9 from 13K ratings.

### Do Shadowmatic or Hidden Folks have ads?

Neither Shadowmatic nor Hidden Folks shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadowmatic or Hidden Folks?

Shadowmatic ships an update every 2 months, and Hidden Folks every 2 months. Most recently, Shadowmatic was updated on September 22, 2026 and Hidden Folks on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Shadowmatic or Hidden Folks?

Shadowmatic currently peaks at #26 in the App Store charts, and Hidden Folks at #18. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*