Comparison

Blackbox vs Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Blackbox

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
Read full description

So you think you understand this thing you’re holding? Think again. Stop tapping. Stop swiping. In fact, stop touching the screen at all. To crack Blackbox’s puzzles you’ll need to find solitude and stillness, climb mountains, call on friends, get in tune with the cosmos, and think outside the box. Minimalistic visual clues make for incredibly satisfying “Aha!” moments, while sonic interfaces provide an extra level of guidance and nuance that makes Blackbox accessible with or without vision. Thoughtful haptic feedback, Easter eggs on Easter eggs, and solutions that can’t be found beneath the glass of your screen redefine what a puzzle can be. You’ll never see your device the same way again. Think you’re clever? Prove it. (Blackbox is a living game under active development by Ryan McLeod. When not eating burritos or drinking coffee, he’s busy designing and developing new Blackbox challenges.) ■

About

Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge

Train your reaction and speed in this fast-paced arcade game. Tap glowing buttons as quickly as possible to beat your best score, friends, and players worldwide. Offers multiple game modes for endless brain and reflex training.

Highlights
  • One-tap gameplay
  • Multiple game modes
  • Compete with friends
  • Unlock new styles
  • Brain and reflex training
  • Quick sessions
Features
Read full description

Train your reaction. Challenge your speed. Become unstoppable. Buttons is a fast-paced arcade game that sharpens your reflexes and keeps your brain active every second. Tap the glowing buttons as quickly as possible and beat: • your best score • your friends • players around the world Easy to start. Hard to master. Impossible to put down. Game Modes: Classic • Don’t miss a single tap • Stay focused • Survive as long as you can Time Attack • Only 10 seconds • Tap faster → score higher • Pure adrenaline Hard • No mercy • Maximum speed • Reaction only Features: • Simple one-tap gameplay • Smooth controls • Bright colorful themes • Fun for kids and adults • Quick sessions anytime • Perfect brain & reflex training • Compete with friends • Unlock new styles and looks Why Buttons? Because sometimes the simplest games are the most addictive. Just tap. React. Win.

Screenshots

Blackbox4 screens
Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Blackbox at none against Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge's shown. Blackbox also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (93% vs 67%). Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Blackbox sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackbox has 109K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of Blackbox's written reviews are positive against 67% of Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Blackbox versus Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlackboxButtons Reflex Speed Challenge
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (109K ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.6% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings109K — better8
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#35 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size209 MB111 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShapes and Stories LLCUladzislau Nasonau

Customer experience

Blackbox

All ratings108,586 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews4,715 reviews
Positive92.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.9%

Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Blackbox

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Hints not working as expected
  • Progress reset after app update

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Blackbox

One-time10
  • Tiny Hint Pack$1.19
  • Small Hint Pack$2.39
  • Erudite Pack$2.99
Show 7 more
  • Push Pack$2.99
  • Coffee for Ryan$4.49
  • Basic Pack$4.99
  • Medium Hint Pack$5.00
  • All Knowing Pack$7.99
  • Large Hint Pack$10.00
  • Extra Large Hint Pack$20.00
4 purchases

Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge

One-time4
  • Donut theme$1.99
  • Remove ads$1.99
  • Unlock All Levels$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Neon theme$4.99

Questions

Is Blackbox free?
Blackbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge free?
Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Blackbox or Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge?
Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge is rated higher. Blackbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 109K ratings, while Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do Blackbox or Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge have ads?
Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge shows ads; Blackbox does not.
Which is updated more often, Blackbox or Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge?
Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, and Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge every 5 months. Most recently, Blackbox was updated on October 19, 2026 and Buttons Reflex Speed Challenge on September 21, 2026.

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