# Downwell vs Dead Cells

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Downwell at none against Dead Cells's 4. Downwell also leads on price ($2.99 vs $8.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). Dead Cells's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (12K vs 1.8K). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Downwell costs $2.99 and Dead Cells $8.99 up front. Dead Cells sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Downwell asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Downwell against 4.8 for Dead Cells. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dead Cells has 12K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Downwell's written reviews are positive against 89% of Dead Cells's.

Downwell ships an update every 9 months, Dead Cells every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Downwell | Dead Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downwell/id1032708262/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells/id1389752090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **88.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #17 | **#5** |
| Size | 80 MB | 1.8 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Devolver Digital, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) | [Playdigious](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041387229) |

## What reviewers say

### Downwell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downwell/id1032708262)

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Paid · Casual, #53 Top Paid · Action, #164 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Venture into a dangerous well with special gun boots to collect gems and battle creatures. Discover shops for upgrades and uncover hidden riches in this procedurally generated action game. Each descent offers a unique challenge.

**Highlights:** Gun boots for combat and descent control, Procedurally generated levels, Shop for items and upgrades, Unique weapons and items, Simple, responsive three-button controls

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Excellent retro visuals
- 🎶 Great chiptune soundtrack
- 👍 Addictive and challenging
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when switching apps
- 🔇 No option to mute sound effects
- 👆 Controls can be obstructed by fingers
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes on iPhone 6s
- Performance issues on older iPads

**Requested features**

- Horizontal/landscape mode
- Ability to save progress
- More level/game mode variety
- Customizable controls


### Dead Cells

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells/id1389752090)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Role Playing, #16 Top Paid · Action, #45 Top Paid · Games, #66 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle as a failed alchemic experiment. Master frantic 2D combat with a variety of weapons and skills against dangerous foes. Death is not the end; learn from each attempt to progress through this roguevania action platformer.

**Highlights:** Roguevania exploration, Frantic 2D action combat, Nonlinear progression, Permadeath with learning, Unlockable weapons and skills, DLC content packs

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Bad Seed | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fatal Falls | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Queen and the Sea | $3.99 | one-time |
| Return to Castlevania | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Excellent controls
- 💎 High-quality graphics
- 🎮 Great controller support
- 🔥 Addictive and challenging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio glitches and bugs
- 🤔 Lack of custom mode
- 📱 Finicky touch controls
- 🔇 No background music support

**Reported bugs**

- Saves not compatible across platforms
- Texture and graphical issues on some devices
- Persistent memory leaks causing performance drops

**Requested features**

- Add Chinese language support
- Implement cross-save functionality
- Introduce online multiplayer mode
- Optimize for older devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Downwell free?

Downwell costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dead Cells free?

Dead Cells costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Downwell or Dead Cells?

Dead Cells is rated higher. Downwell averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Dead Cells averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do Downwell or Dead Cells have ads?

Neither Downwell nor Dead Cells shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Downwell or Dead Cells?

Downwell ships an update every 9 months, and Dead Cells every 5 weeks. Most recently, Downwell was updated on September 23, 2026 and Dead Cells on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Downwell or Dead Cells?

Downwell currently peaks at #17 in the App Store charts, and Dead Cells at #5. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*