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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Popsicle Sticks vs Popsicle Stack

Popsicle Sticks 4.6★ · Free + IAP 85
Winner Popsicle Sticks
Popsicle Stack 4.5★ · Free + IAP 40

Popsicle Sticks is the clear winner for educational or organizational use, offering robust features for teachers despite some usability and pricing complaints, while Popsicle Stack is a casual game plagued by an overwhelming number of ads.

Full reviews: Popsicle Sticks · Popsicle Stack

Popsicle Sticks is a highly-rated tool for educators, facilitating random student selection and grouping, though users report issues with its premium features and interface. Popsicle Stack, a casual game, is popular but heavily criticized for its excessive ads and occasional glitches.

Head to head

Core Functionality (Random Selection/Grouping) edge: Popsicle SticksR1R2R5R8
Popsicle Sticks Popsicle Sticks is highly praised for its ability to randomly select students, create groups, and manage classes, which teachers find invaluable for classroom management and fairness R2R5. However, many users report that core features like random grouping and multiple classes are locked behind paywalls, leading to frustration R1R8R13R38.
Popsicle Stack Popsicle Stack's core functionality revolves around making and stacking popsicles in a game, which many users find fun, relaxing, and satisfying . However, some users find the gameplay repetitive and boring after a while .
Ease of Use / User Interface edge: Popsicle SticksR3R4R10R14
Popsicle Sticks Users appreciate Popsicle Sticks for being intuitive to set up and easy to learn . However, several reviews point out difficulties with basic tasks like deleting students or classes, and issues with the iPad interface not supporting landscape or split-screen mode R3R4R10R14.
Popsicle Stack Popsicle Stack's gameplay is generally straightforward, but some users report glitches where syrup or freezing doesn't apply to all popsicles, or where the game freezes entirely . There are also requests for more customization options, like designing the hand .
Reliability / Performance edge: Popsicle SticksR9R11R19R22
Popsicle Sticks Popsicle Sticks generally works well , but some users experience crashes, particularly during CSV import or when trying to pick a student R19R22. There are also reports of the app not working seamlessly in multitasking mode R9 and issues with the speaker option or name pronunciation R11.
Popsicle Stack Popsicle Stack is frequently criticized for being glitchy, with issues like syrup not filling all molds, the game freezing at certain levels, or rewards not being granted after watching ads R64R70.
Price / Value (Free vs. Paid) edge: Popsicle SticksR1R8R13R34
Popsicle Sticks Popsicle Sticks is free with IAP, but many users feel it's deceptive, as essential features like creating multiple classes, random groupings, or using it beyond a few times are locked behind multiple paywalls, costing $2.99 or more per feature R1R8R13R38. Some users who paid for an upgrade found it didn't unlock all features or didn't transfer between devices R34.
Popsicle Stack Popsicle Stack is free with IAP, but the overwhelming consensus is that the game is ruined by an excessive number of ads, often appearing after every round or when trying to claim rewards R63R64R70. Many users express a willingness to pay to remove ads, but no such option is explicitly mentioned in the reviews .
Support / Accessibility edge: Popsicle SticksR6R21R37
Popsicle Sticks One user praised Popsicle Sticks' customer service for being responsive and helpful with a CSV import question R37. However, another reported an error when trying to get app support R21. Accessibility for blind users with screen readers is noted as mostly good but needs improvement for unlabeled buttons R6.
Popsicle Stack There is no information in the reviews regarding customer support or accessibility for Popsicle Stack.
Pick Popsicle Sticks if

You are an educator or need a tool for random selection and grouping of names, and are willing to pay for premium features to unlock its full potential R5. You prioritize a dedicated tool for classroom management over a casual game experience R2.

Pick Popsicle Stack if

You are looking for a simple, casual, and relaxing game to pass the time, and you are tolerant of frequent advertisements .

Evidence note: The two apps serve entirely different purposes, making a direct feature-for-feature comparison difficult. Popsicle Sticks is a utility app for educators, while Popsicle Stack is a casual mobile game. The negativity for Popsicle Stack is almost entirely due to ads, which is typical for free mobile games, while Popsicle Sticks' negative reviews focus on its IAP model and usability issues.

Frequently asked

Is Popsicle Sticks truly free to use?
Popsicle Sticks is free to download, but many core features like creating more than one class, making more than one random grouping, or using certain tools are locked behind in-app purchases, often costing $2.99 or more per feature R1R8R13R38.
Does Popsicle Stack have too many ads?
Yes, a significant number of users report that Popsicle Stack has an excessive amount of ads, often appearing after every round or when attempting to claim rewards, which detracts heavily from the gameplay experience R63R64R70R73.
Can I delete students or classes in Popsicle Sticks?
While some users initially found it difficult or impossible to delete students or classes, one review indicates that swiping from the right can reveal the option to delete R3R4R10R14.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Popsicle Sticks 2/5 · US Good but: I like the app I like all the stuff but of course every app now have to have a premium or something to buy with and and you have to upgrade it to premium to get more than random groupings and to make more than one classes it’s really weird and I do not like it. That’s why I’m giving it two stars
  2. [R2] Popsicle Sticks 4/5 · US Saves time: This is a great way to call random names and assign visibly random groups! I use it for multiple classes, and even selecting next class awards. I wish there was a way to delete names or class lists though.
  3. [R5] Popsicle Sticks 5/5 · US Love: I seriously love this app. It helps with picking students to call on, grouping and so much more! I never review apps, but I’ve had this one for a few years now and wanted people to know this one was worth every penny!
  4. [R8] Popsicle Sticks 4/5 · US It’s great just I have one complaint: This is a great app just I was clicking on groups and it said I had reached my limit and I had to pay if I wanted to continue which was annoying but otherwise it is great!
  5. [R3] Popsicle Sticks 3/5 · US Some drawbacks: The app is wonderful,however,it’s not user friendly when removing students and archiving classes. There’s no where to show to do that with the app.
  6. [R4] Popsicle Sticks 2/5 · US Problem deleting: Would be a great app if I could figure out how to delete the students that leave my class. If someone knows, please advise. Thanks
  7. [R10] Popsicle Sticks 2/5 · US Deleting Students from a Class: I like using this app, but every time a student leaves my class, I hate that it is more difficult to remove a student from a class than it is to add them. It is not an intuitive process. And today as I am trying to adjust classes at the beginning of the semester, I almost hate the app.
  8. [R14] Popsicle Sticks 4/5 · US Works great, once you set it up: I really enjoyed this last year. It worked well and the students laughed at how their names were pronounced. Some of the add on stuff has been fun too Now it’s a new school year and I need to delete the old classes to make new ones. There isn’t an easy way to do that! This is a short term frustration of course. I can replace the names individually. But a way to cle
  9. [R9] Popsicle Sticks 3/5 · US Totally useful but hope a future update will enable it to work seamlessly in multitasking: The app is perfect for quickly pairing or grouping. It will make random groups and then you can slide around to make quick switches. Classic random selection is great,too! One last thing developer...I used to be able to use the app easily while multitasking. That is no longer so. It was so helpful to view bo
  10. [R11] Popsicle Sticks 4/5 · US Good: I love it but it but it does say names wrong sometimes and then my students say that’s not my name are they talking about me and I have to explain to them not everything can’t say your name
  11. [R19] Popsicle Sticks 2/5 · US Import glitches: I will update after I actually get to try the app. Right now I’m frustrated because the app keeps crashing during the import process. 2 classes worked fine, but the third list crashes the app as soon as I try to scroll and confirm the list. I’m annoyed so far & hope the experience improves. I’m off to type in 31 names….
  12. [R22] Popsicle Sticks 1/5 · US Crashing: App crashes when using CSV importing on iPhone.
  13. [R13] Popsicle Sticks 1/5 · US Cash Grab: I literally had gotten no actual use out of this app, but it has potential. So I put it to the test the first time, and bam, it refuses to create random groups until I pay it. I’ve got 11 girls learning soccer who need to be grouped and this app is extorting me in my minute of need. Cannot be trusted.
  14. [R34] Popsicle Sticks 2/5 · US Why doesn't the iPad version communicate with phone version?: I just spent $5.99 on unlimited for iPad but none of this registers on my phone. It is essential I can use either in my classroom. Help!
  15. [R6] Popsicle Sticks 3/5 · US Would be awesome with accessibility updates: I am a blind user who utilizes screen reader technology on an iPhone. This app is great and mostly accessible. I would love to see future updates that include accessibility for screen reader in a Gratian. For example, some buttons are not labeled and therefore, the screen reader just reads it as button. This makes it impossible to know what the function
  16. [R21] Popsicle Sticks 3/5 · US Please help: I tried to get app support but it said there was an error. I paid $5 for this app and I really like it, but every time I create group one or two students always get left out. I thought it might be because I had an odd number of kids, but today it left 3 students out of groups of 2. It could have made one more group of 2. Please fix.
  17. [R37] Popsicle Sticks 5/5 · US Great customer service.: Useful and fun app. Developer was very responsive in helping troubleshoot a .csv file import question. Thanks!
  18. [R38] Popsicle Sticks 2/5 · US Frustrating: Why even have the app as free if you ultimately end up having to pay to use the main feature? I like all the other features the app has and that is why I gave it two stars, but am ultimately disappointed with the fact that the app is useless if you don’t pay $3.99. If I’d known that I would be cut off after a certain amount of uses, I would’ve been more careful every time I created a
  19. [R63] Popsicle Stack 3/5 · US Amazing!! Just a lot of ads..: This game is so fun and entertaining. I can spend hours playing this!! The only issue really being way too many ads. The game is basically just an advertisement for ads you can interact with to get “ better “ stuff. Overall, amazing game but that’s the only issue that I wish was changed.
  20. [R64] Popsicle Stack 1/5 · US It sucks: This game sucks there’s too many ads it glitches and it requires Wi-Fi
  21. [R70] Popsicle Stack 2/5 · US Pls red: It makes me watch to many adds and is rly glitchy
  22. [R73] Popsicle Stack 2/5 · US Way to many ads 😠: Ok it is not the best game to play but it is still a little fun but it has to many ads I wanted to get it so I was I wasn’t bored reading the other reviews got me thinking if I should get the game so I did

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store