# The Guides vs holedown

The clearest difference is rating: The Guides at 4.8 against holedown's 4.3. The Guides also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 72%) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 9 months). holedown's advantage is chart position (#121 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

The Guides costs $2.99 and holedown $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Guides holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 731 and 399 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 72% of holedown's.

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, holedown every 9 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Guides | holedown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200/reviews)** | [4.3 (399 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holedown/id1297270249/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **731** | 399 |
| Positive reviews | **87.7% of reviews** | 71.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#121** |
| Size | 45 MB | 77 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) | [webbfarbror AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/663547506) |

## 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


### holedown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holedown/id1297270249)

**Currently charting:** #121 Top Paid · Casual, #139 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Dig deep underground by strategically shooting balls to break blocks and reach planet cores. Collect crystals for upgrades and master bouncing patterns in this charming, minimalist game with an original soundtrack. Enjoy hours of gameplay with procedurally generated planets and multiple modes.

**Highlights:** Dig through six planets, Collect crystals for upgrades, Procedurally generated planets, Original space acid soundtrack, Endless play mode, Intuitive one-handed play

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Satisfying physics and animations
- 🎨 Charming visuals and audio
- 💰 Fair pricing, no ads or IAPs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔚 Short campaign length
- 🔁 Lack of replayability after completion
- 🔇 No option to disable sound effects
- 🐛 Occasional save data loss

**Reported bugs**

- Save data randomly resets
- Gameplay freezes after certain actions
- Sound effects not working properly

**Requested features**

- More planets/levels
- Diverse block types and gameplay mechanics
- Ability to skip crystal counting animation
- Cloud save sync between devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Guides free?

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

### Is holedown free?

holedown costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Guides or holedown?

The Guides is rated higher. The Guides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while holedown averages 4.3 from 399 ratings.

### Do The Guides or holedown have ads?

Neither The Guides nor holedown shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Guides or holedown?

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and holedown every 9 months. Most recently, The Guides was updated on October 26, 2026 and holedown on October 26, 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.*