# + & vs Phase Star

The clearest difference is review sentiment: + & at 100% against Phase Star's 13%. + & also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.3) and ads (none vs shown). Phase Star's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (10 vs 2). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. + & sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Phase Star asks for nothing beyond the download.

+ & holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phase Star has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of + &'s written reviews are positive against 13% of Phase Star's.

+ & ships an update every 10 months, Phase Star every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | + & | Phase Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus-and-a-zen-game/id880084583/reviews)** | [2.3 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase-star/id6446647021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **10** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 12.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 9 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 4 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marco Locatelli](https://appshunter.io/developer/380883258) | [Rootcraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1370994577) |

## What reviewers say

### + &

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus-and-a-zen-game/id880084583)

A strategic puzzle game with a Zen-like feel. Combine numbers based on their color and value to achieve the highest score. Save multiple games simultaneously and unlock special abilities as you progress.

**Highlights:** Strategic number addition and subtraction, Save and manage multiple games, Unlockable number swapping ability, Customizable board and UI colors, Zen-like gameplay experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change The Number | $0.99 | one-time |


### Phase Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase-star/id6446647021)

A relaxing card game where players match cards by color and number to complete phases. It features mind-blowing levels and a minimalistic visual design. No internet connection is required to play.

**Highlights:** Mind-blowing levels, Minimalistic visual design, Astonishing animation, No internet connection required, Free to play

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is + & free?

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

### Is Phase Star free?

Phase Star is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, + & or Phase Star?

+ & is rated higher. + & averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Phase Star averages 2.3 from 10 ratings.

### Do + & or Phase Star have ads?

Phase Star shows ads; + & does not.

### Which is updated more often, + & or Phase Star?

+ & ships an update every 10 months, and Phase Star every 9 months. Most recently, + & was updated on October 13, 2026 and Phase Star 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.*