Hole.io is a casual arcade game for iOS and Android where players control a growing black hole to consume city environments.
Product velocity
Intense
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#47
▲2Games · free
Sentiment
4.0
3.3M reviews
Nemesis
Eat Up 3D - Attack Hole Games
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
It removes the cognitive cost of complex progression, allowing players to engage in satisfying, low-friction destruction during brief daily breaks.
For Casual gamers seeking short, low-stress play sessions during daily breaks.
What does it look like?
Key features
Swipe-to-control black hole movement to consume map objects, driving the core loop.
Hidden spheres unlock unique figurines to build a themed album, creating a long-term retention hook.
How much does it cost?
Monetization relies on ad-supported casual gameplay with IAP hooks for collection completion.
Velocity
Intense developmentnew contentmonetizationUX improvementsShow more...
Hole.io is currently in a phase of intense development, shipping five distinct versions over the last month. The team is actively iterating on both monetization and content, evidenced by the recent removal of banner ads and the introduction of a new collectible figurine and album system. This rapid cadence suggests a focus on increasing user retention through gamified collection mechanics. The development trend is stable and highly active, with frequent updates ensuring a steady stream of new features.
Who built it?
Voodoo
13+ apps tracked · Games
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Fresh user feedback skews upset. Users appreciate core gameplay loop provides a relaxing and engaging experience during short play sessions, but report aggressive ad frequency during active gameplay interrupts the flow and makes the game unplayable.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Weekly average review rating
What users say, by theme
- Core gameplay loop provides a relaxing and engaging experience during short play sessions
- Aggressive ad frequency during active gameplay interrupts the flow and makes the game unplayable
120 of 5638 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Upset overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 2 user requests, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Hole.io
How's the Games market?
Hole.io maintains a top-10 free arcade position across multiple markets, though its grossing rank frequently lags behind its download volume. This gap signals that the current ad-heavy monetization model fails to convert the massive user base into sustained revenue.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By yumy.io
This app directly clones the core 'hole-swallowing' mechanic and growth-based gameplay loop that defines Hole.io, competing for the same casual arcade audience.
- Focuses on specific obstacle navigation challenges rather than the open-world city destruction of Hole.io.
- Utilizes a more granular level-progression system compared to the session-based arcade style of this app.
Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Hole.io
Where is it heading?
Casual arcade traffic is consolidating around entrants that offer structured progression, leaving Hole.io exposed to rivals like Eat Up 3D. Unless the team resolves the ad-trigger crashes, the new collectible features will fail to stem the churn pressure.
- Technical instability during ad triggers resets level progress, which compounds the rating drag already visible on Android.
- The latest release introduced a collectible figurine system, signaling active feature investment rather than maintenance mode.
The SWOT
- High-fidelity 3D environments sustain visual satisfaction
- Massive player base scale provides superior matchmaking
- Structured level-based progression could neutralize nemesis appeal
Next best moves
Migrate ad triggers to level-end screens because ad frequency is the #1 complaint theme → reduce churn
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The #7 free rank is a liability…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Structured level-based progression (available in Eat Up 3D but missing here)
Since the last report: The competitive outlook has shifted from general arcade market volatility to a specific critique of the app's #7 US chart position and the failure of its ad-heavy monetization model to drive long-term retention. The contrarian take now frames the app's top-10 status as a vulnerability to live-ops rivals rather than a sign of market dominance.
Bottom line
Hole.io's core loop remains a category leader, but ad-driven instability is actively eroding the user base. Shifting to end-of-level ad placements would unlock the retention potential of the new collectibles system.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Hole.io worth playing if I want a relaxing game?
What is the difference between Hole.io and Eat Up 3D?
Does Hole.io have too many ads?
What are some alternatives to Hole.io?
Sources
Report last updated