# swipe vs Blackbox

The clearest difference is update cadence: Blackbox at every 9 days against swipe's every 4 months. Blackbox also leads on ratings volume (109K vs 2.3K) and chart position (#30 vs unranked). swipe's advantage is device support (6 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. swipe sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Blackbox sells 10 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 — 4.7 for swipe against 4.8 for Blackbox. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackbox has 109K ratings behind it against 2.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of swipe's written reviews are positive against 93% of Blackbox's.

swipe ships an update every 4 months, Blackbox every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | swipe | Blackbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swipe/id954384146/reviews) | **[4.8 (109K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.3K | **109K** |
| Positive reviews | 89.7% of reviews | **92.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#30** |
| Size | 31 MB | 209 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Briegers GbR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1653446086) | [Shapes and Stories LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/962969577) |

## What reviewers say

### swipe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swipe/id954384146)

Navigate a white circle through challenging mazes to collect blue coins. This minimalist puzzle game offers intuitive gameplay with a modern, colorful design and a level editor for creating and sharing your own challenges.

**Highlights:** Minimalist puzzle gameplay, Level editor with share function, Intuitive controls, Modern, colorful design, 100 challenging levels, 10 optional themes, Customizable themes

**Features:** Game Controller support, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| Themes | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 hints | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 🎮 Great on Apple Watch
- 🎨 Simplistic and modern design
- 🔓 No ads or data harvesting
- 💡 Unique gesture-based controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Limited number of hints
- 🤯 Some levels are very difficult
- 🔧 Level editor could be improved
- 🔊 Sound issues on certain devices

**Reported bugs**

- Level editor crashes
- Hints not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Ability to reverse moves
- Syncing progress across devices
- Customizable themes and visuals


### Blackbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578)

**Currently charting:** #30 Top Free · Trivia, #78 Top Grossing · Trivia (US App Store)

This puzzle game challenges you to solve intricate problems without touching the screen. It utilizes minimalistic visual cues, sonic interfaces, and haptic feedback to guide you through unique challenges that require thinking outside the box. Discover a new way to interact with your device and prove your cleverness.

**Highlights:** Touchless gameplay, Minimalistic visual clues, Sonic interfaces, Haptic feedback, External puzzle solving, Easter eggs

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Hint Pack | $1.19 | one-time |
| Small Hint Pack | $2.39 | one-time |
| Erudite Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Push Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coffee for Ryan | $4.49 | one-time |
| Basic Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Hint Pack | $5.00 | one-time |
| All Knowing Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Large Hint Pack | $10.00 | one-time |
| Extra Large Hint Pack | $20.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Unique and creative gameplay
- 🤔 Challenges users to think outside the box
- 😄 Humorous and witty comments
- 🔑 Utilizes phone features in innovative ways

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Extremely challenging puzzles
- 💰 Expensive for additional content
- 🤖 Concerns about app accessing device permissions
- 🚗 Puzzles requiring travel/location are inaccessible for some

**Reported bugs**

- Hints not working as expected
- Progress reset after app update

**Requested features**

- Add ability to earn hint credits through watching ads
- Include more free puzzles
- Improve accessibility for users with limited mobility
- Provide better guidance and instructions for puzzles


## Frequently asked questions

### Is swipe free?

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

### Is Blackbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, swipe or Blackbox?

Blackbox is rated higher. swipe averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while Blackbox averages 4.8 from 109K ratings.

### Do swipe or Blackbox have ads?

Neither swipe nor Blackbox shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, swipe or Blackbox?

swipe ships an update every 4 months, and Blackbox every 9 days. Most recently, swipe was updated on September 30, 2026 and Blackbox on September 30, 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.*