# Alien Swarm 3 vs Pac.io

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Alien Swarm 3 at none against Pac.io's 10. Pac.io's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 23 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pac.io sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Alien Swarm 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Alien Swarm 3 ships an update every 23 months, Pac.io fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alien Swarm 3 | Pac.io |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.2 (340 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **340** |
| Positive reviews | — | 53.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Galatic Droids](https://appshunter.io/developer/806182439) | [Nomadic Bear Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1188304416) |

## What reviewers say

### Alien Swarm 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-swarm-3/id1002907288)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Alien Swarm 3 free?

Alien Swarm 3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pac.io free?

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

### Do Alien Swarm 3 or Pac.io have ads?

Both Alien Swarm 3 and Pac.io show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alien Swarm 3 or Pac.io?

Alien Swarm 3 ships an update every 23 months, and Pac.io fortnightly. Most recently, Alien Swarm 3 was updated on October 18, 2026 and Pac.io on October 20, 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.*