# Dream Defense vs EF Defense

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Dream Defense at 85% against EF Defense's 34%. Dream Defense also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3). EF Defense's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dream Defense sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and EF Defense sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dream Defense holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 166 and 58 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Dream Defense's written reviews are positive against 34% of EF Defense's.

Dream Defense ships an update every 6 weeks, EF Defense every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dream Defense | EF Defense |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dream-defense/id1078573759/reviews)** | [4.3 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ef-defense/id1605733721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 58 |
| Positive reviews | **85.3% of reviews** | 34.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 173 MB | 237 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Altitude Games Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693316969) | [MANA GAME FACTORY PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605733723) |

## What reviewers say

### Dream Defense

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dream-defense/id1078573759)

Defend a sleeping friend from terrifying nightmares in this action-shooter game. Play as a gun-slinging teddy bear, using a variety of weapons and toy defenses to blast, freeze, and bombard waves of monsters until sunrise.

**Highlights:** Action-shooter gameplay, Defend against monster waves, Variety of weapons and upgrades, Build toy defenses, Boss battles, Multiple levels

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem Box | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gem Bucket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem Cart | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Doubler | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dream Ore Doubler | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Robot Stomp | $19.99 | one-time |
| Super Unicorn Cannon | $19.99 | one-time |
| Gem Chest | $24.99 | one-time |
| Gem Cabinet | $49.99 | one-time |
| Gem Vault | $94.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and enjoyable gameplay
- 💡 Well-designed concept
- ✨ Cute and appealing art style
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay mechanics
- 💰 Not pay-to-win

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐌 Slow pacing
- 💸 Expensive in-app purchases
- ⏳ Energy system limits playtime
- 📈 Slow dream ore gain
- 🔄 Repetitive endless mode

**Reported bugs**

- Doesn't save progress (coins and dream ore)
- Stuck on loading screen
- Bug where shooting stops after using a power-up (e.g., ice-cream)
- Targeting issues (not hitting enemies despite aiming correctly)

**Requested features**

- More levels
- More weapons
- Multiplayer mode
- Easier way to earn skins
- More varied enemies


### EF Defense

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ef-defense/id1605733721)

Defend the continent of Akaros by rallying unique heroes and powerful protectors. Engage in diverse combat styles beyond traditional defense, including conquest and arena battles, against a variety of challenging enemies.

**Highlights:** Unique heroes from various tribes, Diverse battlefields with specialized traps, Powerful Protectors with game-changing skills, Multiple combat modes: Frontier, Arena, Grand Arena, Tower of Trials, Variety of unique enemy types and attack patterns

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EF Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 5 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 5 | $9.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 7 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 9 | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dream Defense free?

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

### Is EF Defense free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dream Defense or EF Defense?

Dream Defense is rated higher. Dream Defense averages 4.8 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while EF Defense averages 4.3 from 58 ratings.

### Do Dream Defense or EF Defense have ads?

Both Dream Defense and EF Defense show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dream Defense or EF Defense?

Dream Defense ships an update every 6 weeks, and EF Defense every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dream Defense was updated on October 19, 2026 and EF Defense on October 18, 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.*