# Clockmaker vs Magic Universe

The clearest difference is ads: Magic Universe at none against Clockmaker's shown. Clockmaker's advantage is ratings volume (185K vs 548) and review sentiment (43% vs 27%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Clockmaker sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Magic Universe sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Clockmaker against 4.7 for Magic Universe. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Clockmaker has 185K ratings behind it against 548, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Clockmaker's written reviews are positive against 27% of Magic Universe's.

Clockmaker ships an update fortnightly, Magic Universe every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Clockmaker | Magic Universe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (185K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clockmaker-match-3-puzzles/id929195587/reviews) | **[4.7 (548 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-universe/id6447054279/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **185K** | 548 |
| Positive reviews | **43.0% of reviews** | 26.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#117** | — |
| Size | 505 MB | 288 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Samfinaco LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143580778) | [TapNation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1483575279) |

## What reviewers say

### Clockmaker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clockmaker-match-3-puzzles/id929195587)

**Currently charting:** #117 Top Grossing · Simulation, #143 Top Grossing · Puzzle (US App Store)

Embark on an adventure to break an evil curse by solving addictive match-3 puzzles. Uncover secrets, travel the world with heroes, and compete in unique tournaments. Enjoy a mystery-filled story with thousands of levels, playable both online and offline.

**Highlights:** Addicting match-3 gameplay, Mystery and riddle solving, World travel and adventure, Weekly in-game events, Online and offline play, Player tournaments

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Сheapest Offer to Start! | $0.99 | one-time |
| Resource Offer 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Visitor's Kit | $2.99 | one-time |
| Resource Offer 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Rubies | $4.99 | one-time |
| Resource Offer 5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Citizen's Stockpile | $6.99 | one-time |
| Clock Safe | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Rubies | $9.99 | one-time |
| Watchman's Cache | $14.99 | one-time |
| Box of Rubies | $19.99 | one-time |
| Councilor's Bundle | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 🕹️ Challenging gameplay
- 🕰️ Engaging storyline and characters
- ⏱️ Generous with free playtime rewards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🤖 Levels too difficult without boosts
- 📺 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏳ Slow progress without spending money

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashing and freezing issues
- Ads causing the game to become unresponsive
- Rewards not being properly credited

**Requested features**

- Pause button for free playtime rewards
- More ways to earn in-game currency without spending
- Better balance between difficulty and progression


### Magic Universe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-universe/id6447054279)

Embark on an action-packed RPG adventure as a magic school student in a vast, enchanted castle. Explore, battle monsters with spells, and gather resources to unlock new areas. Uncover the secrets of this mystical world.

**Highlights:** Explore a vast castle school, Battle monsters with spells, Gather magic resources, Unlock new locations, Intuitive touch controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ticket 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ticket 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $3.49 | one-time |
| Wand Drop x2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Castle Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dark Forest Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Village Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sewers Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tower Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bank Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ticket 3 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Drop Potion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Ticket 4 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Ticket 5 | $29.99 | one-time |
| Ticket 6 | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game
- 🎨 Good graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🔑 Unable to progress due to missing keys
- 💰 Excessive ads
- 🛑 Getting stuck in levels

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezing and crashing
- Character getting stuck or unable to move
- Keys not appearing or not working as intended
- Levels becoming unbeatable due to missing resources

**Requested features**

- Add a way to warp back to the beginning of a level
- Implement a system to report issues and get support
- Add an option to disable ads or purchase an ad-free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Clockmaker free?

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

### Is Magic Universe free?

Magic Universe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Clockmaker or Magic Universe?

Magic Universe is rated higher. Clockmaker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 185K ratings, while Magic Universe averages 4.7 from 548 ratings.

### Do Clockmaker or Magic Universe have ads?

Clockmaker shows ads; Magic Universe does not.

### Which is updated more often, Clockmaker or Magic Universe?

Clockmaker ships an update fortnightly, and Magic Universe every 3 weeks. Most recently, Clockmaker was updated on September 28, 2026 and Magic Universe on September 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*