Scarlet Sails vs Sorcery Is for Saps
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Scarlet Sails
Embark on an 80,000-word text-based adventure on the high seas. Make choices that shape your pirate's destiny, from their fighting style and magical abilities to their romantic pursuits and personal demons. Discover treasure, betrayal, and the possibility of true love.
- 80,000-word interactive novel
- Choice-driven narrative
- Customizable character personality
- Multiple romance options
- Text-based gameplay
- Fantasy and pirate themes
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Hoist the Jolly Roger and set sail to find the legendary Titan’s Treasure! Do you fight with a cutlass or with magic? Are you biding your time until you can shoot your captain in the back, or are you the reason the rum is gone? "Scarlet Sails" is an 80,000-word interactive novel by Felicity Banks, author of "Attack of the Clockwork Army" and "Bali B & B." Your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based–without graphics or sound effects–and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. • Enjoy an 80,000 word adventure on the high seas. • Choose your personality, fighting style, and magical skill. • Play as male or female or nonbinary; gay, straight, or asexual. • Choose who to love, including options for singlehood or polyamory. • Face the horrors of your past, and of the deep. • Find treasure, treachery, and maybe even true love.
Sorcery Is for Saps
An interactive fantasy novel where your choices shape the narrative. Play as an apprentice sorcerer who must steal their master's identity to save the kingdom. Explore magic, power, and romance in this text-based adventure.
- Choice-driven narrative
- Fantasy setting
- Character customization (gender, orientation)
- Multiple endings
- Text-based gameplay
- Romance options
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As an apprentice sorcerer, you should never steal your master's identity. But what if that's the only way to save the kingdom? "Sorcery Is for Saps" is a 200,000-word interactive fantasy novel by Hilari Bell and Anna-Maria Crum, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. Will your powers save the cursed king--or will you turn traitor and seize the throne yourself? You can probably break a simple kindness curse, but there are dark forces at work and you may be in over your head before you can say “Abracadabra.” Throw in your lot with scheming councilors, the attractive heir, or even go to work for the invaders. But whether you choose to save the king or your own neck, one thing is clear—this is your big chance! Magic, power, or true love—which will you choose? In "Sorcery Is for Saps," you'll find it's easier than waving a wand. • Be a hero or turn traitor, seduced by a sexy spy. • Play as male or female, gay, straight, or bi. • Steal a rival wizard's inventions. • Fight the maniacal, mechanical, magical monkey. • Power up for politics, succeed at sorcery, or just get really, really rich. • Trade barbs with your snarky familiar. Or will you kow-tow to a sarcastic ferret? • End up as a sorcerer, a royal councilor, a villain, or a mouse. (Literally. You can be turned into a mouse.)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sorcery Is for Saps at 67% against Scarlet Sails's 20%. Sorcery Is for Saps also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 6 months vs every 21 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Scarlet Sails sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sorcery Is for Saps sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sorcery Is for Saps holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Scarlet Sails's written reviews are positive against 67% of Sorcery Is for Saps's.
Scarlet Sails ships an update every 21 months, Sorcery Is for Saps every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Scarlet Sails | Sorcery Is for Saps |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (18 ratings) | 4.5 (20 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 18 | 20 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Hosted Games LLC | Choice of Games LLC |
Customer experience
Scarlet Sails
Sorcery Is for Saps
In-app purchases
Scarlet Sails
- Rest of the Game$3.99
Sorcery Is for Saps
- Rest of the Game$5.99
Questions
Is Scarlet Sails free?
Is Sorcery Is for Saps free?
Which has better reviews, Scarlet Sails or Sorcery Is for Saps?
Do Scarlet Sails or Sorcery Is for Saps have ads?
Which is updated more often, Scarlet Sails or Sorcery Is for Saps?
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