# Blackbox vs Brain It On!

The clearest difference is ads: Blackbox at none against Brain It On!'s shown. Blackbox also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (109K vs 5.1K). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Blackbox sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Brain It On! sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Blackbox holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackbox has 109K ratings behind it against 5.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Blackbox's written reviews are positive against 81% of Brain It On!'s.

Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, Brain It On! every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackbox | Brain It On! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (109K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578/reviews)** | [4.5 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-it-on/id985367692/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **109K** | 5.1K |
| Positive reviews | **92.6% of reviews** | 81.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#30** | — |
| Size | 209 MB | 191 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shapes and Stories LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/962969577) | [Orbital Nine Games Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/887216732) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackbox

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

**Currently charting:** #30 Top Free · Trivia, #81 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


### Brain It On!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-it-on/id985367692)

Engage your mind with tricky physics puzzles. Draw shapes to find creative solutions to increasingly difficult challenges. Compete with friends and discover multiple ways to solve each puzzle.

**Highlights:** Dozens of brain-busting puzzles, Puzzles added regularly, Compete with friends, Multiple solutions per puzzle, Share unique solutions

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Popup Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Full Game (75% off) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Full Game (50% off) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Full Game (25% off) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Full Game | $3.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Challenging and fun
- 🔒 No ads
- 👍 Engaging physics-based puzzles
- 👍 Encourages creative thinking
- 👍 Good for brain exercise

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Drawing accuracy issues
- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🐛 Difficulty spikes too quickly
- 🔋 Overheating on some devices
- 👎 Too many ads for hints

**Reported bugs**

- Level selector not working past level 220
- Inability to draw near screen edges due to OS gestures
- Hint videos not always helpful
- In-app purchases not working as expected

**Requested features**

- More levels
- Level editor to create custom puzzles
- Ability to save progress
- Improved drawing controls
- Better hints and guidance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackbox free?

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

### Is Brain It On! free?

Brain It On! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Blackbox or Brain It On!?

Blackbox is rated higher. Blackbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 109K ratings, while Brain It On! averages 4.5 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Blackbox or Brain It On! have ads?

Brain It On! shows ads; Blackbox does not.

### Which is updated more often, Blackbox or Brain It On!?

Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, and Brain It On! every 3 weeks. Most recently, Blackbox was updated on September 30, 2026 and Brain It On! 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.*