# 21 Black vs Spades Circle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 21 Black at none against Spades Circle's 7. 21 Black also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). Spades Circle's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (85 vs 5). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spades Circle sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. 21 Black asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for 21 Black against 4.7 for Spades Circle. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spades Circle has 85 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

21 Black ships an update every 15 months, Spades Circle every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 21 Black | Spades Circle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/21-black/id1044373988/reviews)** | [4.7 (85 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spades-circle/id6757724954/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **85** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 48 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bit Free Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1044373461) | [Tim O's Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/412839685) |

## What reviewers say

### 21 Black

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/21-black/id1044373988)

A brain training puzzle game where you merge cards horizontally or vertically to reach a sum of 21. Features endless and puzzle modes with unlimited hints and no time limits.

**Highlights:** Card merging gameplay, Endless mode, Puzzle mode with custom sizes, Share and scan puzzles, Unlimited free hints, No time limits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Spades Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spades-circle/id6757724954)

Instantly play card games with friends using just a code or link. Built on Apple's Game Center for seamless multiplayer without accounts or waiting. Features daily tournaments and robust stat tracking.

**Highlights:** Instant multiplayer invitations, No account sign-ups required, Daily tournaments with leaderboards, Partner mode and solo AI play, Game Center integration, FaceTime SharePlay support, Full accessibility features

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inner Circle Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Inner Circle Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| 1 Invite | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Invites | $3.99 | one-time |
| 10 Invites | $6.99 | one-time |
| 25 Invites | $14.99 | one-time |
| 100 Invites | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 21 Black free?

21 Black is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Spades Circle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 21 Black or Spades Circle?

21 Black is rated higher. 21 Black averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Spades Circle averages 4.7 from 85 ratings.

### Do 21 Black or Spades Circle have ads?

Neither 21 Black nor Spades Circle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 21 Black or Spades Circle?

21 Black ships an update every 15 months, and Spades Circle every 2 weeks. Most recently, 21 Black was updated on October 24, 2026 and Spades Circle on October 25, 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.*