# The Guides vs Bubble Tap

The clearest difference is price: Bubble Tap at Free against The Guides's $2.99. Bubble Tap also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). The Guides's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Bubble Tap is free to download; The Guides costs $2.99 up front. Bubble Tap sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. The Guides asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bubble Tap holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Guides has 731 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 83% of Bubble Tap's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, Bubble Tap every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Guides | Bubble Tap |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubble-tap-bubble-popper/id1003134085/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **731** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **87.7% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 45 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [2 Fountains LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730752274) | [Colin Lyders](https://appshunter.io/developer/820715591) |

## What reviewers say

### The Guides

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200)

Embark on a journey of challenging codes, puzzles, and interactive ciphers that test your wit and imagination. Unravel a fragmented story by finding clues and patterns, utilizing integrated decoding tools and a distress support system.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of challenging codes and puzzles, Interactive ciphers, Fragmented story to unravel, Integrated decoding tools (Morse, binary), Screenshot saving for clues, Distress support system

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Challenging and engaging puzzles
- 🧠 Exercises the mind
- 🎨 Minimalist and visually appealing
- 🕹️ Unique gameplay experience
- 🕵️‍♂️ Intriguing storyline and mystery

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤯 Puzzles can be overly complex or unclear
- 📱 Small text and UI elements on mobile
- 🤔 Lack of clear instructions or guidance

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle solutions not being accepted correctly
- App crashes or freezes when switching between puzzles

**Requested features**

- More frequent updates and new content
- Improved UI and accessibility options
- Hint system or gradual difficulty scaling


### Bubble Tap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bubble-tap-bubble-popper/id1003134085)

Tap groups of 2 or more same-colored bubbles to pop them and earn points. Choose between Standard and Color modes, customize your background, and compete on global leaderboards. Earn bonus bubbles or purchase packs to enhance gameplay.

**Highlights:** Two game modes: Standard & Color, Customizable screen background, Bonus bubble mechanic, Global Leaderboard integration, Achievements and game stats, Undo last tap functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bonus Bubble 10 Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Bubble 25 Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Bubble 50 Pack | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Guides free?

The Guides costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Bubble Tap free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Guides or Bubble Tap?

Bubble Tap is rated higher. The Guides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while Bubble Tap averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do The Guides or Bubble Tap have ads?

Bubble Tap shows ads; The Guides does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Guides or Bubble Tap?

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and Bubble Tap every 2 months. Most recently, The Guides was updated on September 22, 2026 and Bubble Tap on June 3, 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.*