# Swap Sword vs Howl

The clearest difference is price: Howl at Free against Swap Sword's $2.99. Howl also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 69%). Swap Sword's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (4.4 vs 4.2). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Howl is free to download; Swap Sword costs $2.99 up front. Howl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Swap Sword asks for nothing beyond the download.

Swap Sword holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 87 and 63 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Swap Sword's written reviews are positive against 78% of Howl's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Swap Sword ships an update every 11 days, Howl every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swap Sword | Howl |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.4 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swap-sword/id1069162618/reviews)** | [4.2 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/howl/id6472719961/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **87** | 63 |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | **78.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#174** | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 477 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alec Thomson](https://appshunter.io/developer/543006583) | [astragon Entertainment GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/433152241) |

## What reviewers say

### Swap Sword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swap-sword/id1069162618)

**Currently charting:** #174 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Engage in a tactical puzzle battle by matching gems and collecting coins. Outsmart enemies on a dynamic battlefield, utilizing spells and strategic swaps to defeat monsters and progress through diverse worlds. Collect rewards and compare scores with friends in this challenging adventure.

**Highlights:** Gem matching and coin collection, Strategic sword swapping, Customizable spell arsenal, World exploration with unique features, Score comparison with friends

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative match-3 twist
- 👍 User-friendly UI
- ✨ Beautiful pixel art
- 🤩 Addictive gameplay
- 🧠 Deep strategy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overpriced for content
- ⏳ Too short
- 🤷 Lacks replayability
- 😔 Frustrating grind
- 😕 Not rewarding

**Reported bugs**

- Fire enemies not counting for matching

**Requested features**

- More levels
- More content
- Character progression
- Unlockable characters/levels
- Rewards for matching


### Howl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/howl/id6472719961)

Engage in turn-based tactical combat within a dark fairy-tale world threatened by a mysterious plague. Play as a deaf heroine who can foresee enemy moves, utilizing unique arrows and skills to defeat beasts. Explore beautifully illustrated environments and uncover secrets.

**Highlights:** Turn-based tactical combat, Foretell enemy moves, Variety of arrow types, Unlockable skills and upgrades, Living ink art style, Multiple chapters and levels, Save villagers

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Full Version | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful art style and visual design
- 🎵 Excellent music and sound design
- 🧩 Engaging turn-based strategy gameplay
- 🎯 Creative puzzle mechanics with multiple solutions
- 📖 Compelling story and atmosphere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 UI elements covering action cards on left screen edge
- 📱 Text too small on mobile devices
- 🌍 Limited language localization options
- ⏱️ Game length feels short for the price
- 💾 Save progress issues and data loss

**Reported bugs**

- Arrow card hidden by sidebar UI on left screen edge
- Text bubbles blocking enemy action information
- Save data not persisting after app closure
- UI elements too small to read on iPhone
- Tooltip descriptions not displaying correctly

**Requested features**

- Movable text bubbles to prevent obstruction
- Character gender/pronoun customization
- More levels and expanded content
- Language localization (Vietnamese, German, etc.)
- UI scaling for smaller phones


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swap Sword free?

Swap Sword costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Howl free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Swap Sword or Howl?

Swap Sword is rated higher. Swap Sword averages 4.4 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while Howl averages 4.2 from 63 ratings.

### Do Swap Sword or Howl have ads?

Neither Swap Sword nor Howl shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swap Sword or Howl?

Swap Sword ships an update every 11 days, and Howl every 3 weeks. Most recently, Swap Sword was updated on October 13, 2026 and Howl on October 15, 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.*