# Tadpole Tap vs Squish Machine

The clearest difference is rating: Tadpole Tap at 4.7 against Squish Machine's 4.1. Tadpole Tap also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 80%) and ratings volume (479 vs 146). Squish Machine's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tadpole Tap sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Squish Machine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tadpole Tap holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 479 and 146 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Tadpole Tap's written reviews are positive against 80% of Squish Machine's.

Tadpole Tap ships an update every 6 months, Squish Machine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tadpole Tap | Squish Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (479 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tadpole-tap/id921017188/reviews)** | [4.1 (146 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squish-machine/id1437134059/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **479** | 146 |
| Positive reviews | **88.3% of reviews** | 80.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 93 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 12 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Outerminds Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/921017187) | [Brad Erkkila](https://appshunter.io/developer/933627895) |

## What reviewers say

### Tadpole Tap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tadpole-tap/id921017188)

Guide a tadpole through perilous obstacles by flicking its tongue to eat flies and ascend. Unlock and upgrade unique tadpoles, power-ups, and skins to achieve higher scores and compete with friends on leaderboards. Collect puzzle pieces and achievements for a rewarding retro gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Unlockable tadpoles with unique abilities, Tadpole and power-up upgrades, Tongue-based movement and fly eating, Obstacle navigation and high score chasing, Collectible puzzle pieces and skins, Leaderboard for friend comparisons, Achievements

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spook | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stapler | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bronze Fly Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Silver Fly Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Silver Case | $3.99 | one-time |
| Gold Fly Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Jade Fly Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gold Case | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Fly Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Very fun game
- 👍 No ads, no pay to win
- 💡 Simple but challenging gameplay
- 🎨 Cute pixel art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on newer iOS versions
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💰 Difficult to unlock all content without paying

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes on launch
- Puzzle pieces not saving properly
- Restore purchases not working

**Requested features**

- More characters and skins
- New obstacles and levels
- Continued updates and support


### Squish Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squish-machine/id1437134059)

Test your reflexes in this fast-paced action puzzler where you must avoid being squished. Progress through hundreds of levels, unlock cute characters, and enjoy vibrant visuals and upbeat sound. Challenge yourself in arcade and timed modes for endless replayability.

**Highlights:** 240 quick levels, 28 unlockable characters, Vibrant visuals, Upbeat sound design, Arcade mode unlocked, Timed Mode

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Interstitial Adverts | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable
- 👍 Great physics
- 👍 Creative concept
- 👍 Satisfying platforming

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Jumping controls are clunky
- 🐛 Inconsistent jump registration
- 🐛 Jumping issues cause deaths
- 🐛 Jump button placement is low
- 🐛 Game can be too short

**Reported bugs**

- App loads with music enabled even if sound is off
- Jumping delays
- Game drops jumps
- Jumping isn't responsive enough
- Jump button is low

**Requested features**

- More games
- More levels
- Endless mode
- Skip very hard levels
- Difficulty selection for arcade mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tadpole Tap free?

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

### Is Squish Machine free?

Squish Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tadpole Tap or Squish Machine?

Tadpole Tap is rated higher. Tadpole Tap averages 4.7 out of 5 from 479 ratings, while Squish Machine averages 4.1 from 146 ratings.

### Do Tadpole Tap or Squish Machine have ads?

Both Tadpole Tap and Squish Machine show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tadpole Tap or Squish Machine?

Tadpole Tap ships an update every 6 months, and Squish Machine every 2 months. Most recently, Tadpole Tap was updated on September 9, 2026 and Squish Machine on July 4, 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.*