# PAC vs Pac.io

The clearest difference is rating: PAC at 4.7 against Pac.io's 4.1. PAC also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (88% vs 54%). Pac.io's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PAC sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Pac.io sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PAC holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PAC has 22K ratings behind it against 342, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of PAC's written reviews are positive against 54% of Pac.io's.

PAC ships an update every 6 weeks, Pac.io fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PAC | Pac.io |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pac-man-256-arcade-run/id1002340615/reviews)** | [4.1 (342 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 342 |
| Positive reviews | **88.0% of reviews** | 53.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#205** | — |
| Size | 153 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe](https://appshunter.io/developer/580781332) | [Nomadic Bear Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1188304416) |

## What reviewers say

### PAC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pac-man-256-arcade-run/id1002340615)

**Currently charting:** #205 Top Free · Action (US App Store)

Navigate an endless maze, munching dots and avoiding ghosts. Outsmart a glitching world with over 15 unique power-ups. Experience a classic arcade adventure reimagined for mobile.

**Highlights:** Endless maze gameplay, Over 15 power-ups, Avoid the Glitch, New ghost characters, Controller support

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Credit Boost | $0.99 | one-time |
| Classic 80's Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Grid Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Robotz Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| CEDX Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| PAC-MANIA Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Arcade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Doubler | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun, easy way to kill time
- 👍 Amazing gameplay
- 🚀 No pop up ads while having fun
- 👍 Classic gameplay with a twist
- 👍 Great mobile support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy controls
- 🔋 Repetitive after a while
- 💰 Expensive themes and upgrades
- 🔋 Ads can be intrusive
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (e.g. invisible Twinado power-up)

**Reported bugs**

- Game resets on phone calls or notifications
- Ads don't work properly
- Inability to pause and resume without losing progress
- Incompatibility with newer devices
- Glitches with 256-dot chains and power-up timers

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode
- More themes and customization options
- Gradually increasing difficulty
- More power-ups
- More frequent power-up spawns


### Pac.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778)

Engage in an addictive grid-battle by swiping to outsmart opponents and dominate the arena. Utilize a variety of power-ups and unlock unique skins to enhance your gameplay and rise through the ranks. Enjoy endless fun offline or online with intuitive controls.

**Highlights:** Swipe controls for movement, Strategic power-ups, Unlockable skins, Offline and online play, Intuitive gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Magnet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Thunder | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sword | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big Coin Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Coin Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Huge Coin Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Massive Coin Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😍 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🎮 Fun Pac-Man inspired mechanics
- 👥 Real multiplayer players (not just bots)
- ⚡ Fast-paced and entertaining
- 🏆 Leaderboard and competitive features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads throughout gameplay
- ⚠️ Ads interrupt and crash the game
- 😤 Unfair difficulty and instant death
- 🎮 Sliding controls instead of D-pad/joystick
- 🤖 Questionable AI behavior and cheating

**Reported bugs**

- Ads crash game at end of video
- Game freezes after ad completion
- Pink screen ad that cannot be closed
- Instant death upon spawning
- Players getting stuck behind walls

**Requested features**

- Arrow buttons or D-pad controls instead of sliding
- Ad-free premium version for purchase
- Ability to disable ads with WiFi off
- Friend list and private room creation
- Real player names instead of randomized ones


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PAC free?

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

### Is Pac.io free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PAC or Pac.io?

PAC is rated higher. PAC averages 4.7 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Pac.io averages 4.1 from 342 ratings.

### Do PAC or Pac.io have ads?

Pac.io shows ads; PAC does not.

### Which is updated more often, PAC or Pac.io?

PAC ships an update every 6 weeks, and Pac.io fortnightly. Most recently, PAC was updated on November 8, 2026 and Pac.io on November 6, 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.*