# FR3 vs Hard Time III

The clearest difference is rating: FR3 at 4.7 against Hard Time III's 4.3. FR3 also leads on ratings volume (235K vs 1.2K) and chart position (#29 vs unranked). Hard Time III's advantage is review sentiment (72% vs 55%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FR3 sells 18 one-off in-app purchases and Hard Time III sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FR3 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FR3 has 235K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of FR3's written reviews are positive against 72% of Hard Time III's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FR3 ships an update every 3 weeks, Hard Time III every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FR3 | Hard Time III |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (235K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fr3-multiplayer-games/id1118878857/reviews)** | [4.3 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hard-time-iii/id6502045884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **235K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | 54.9% of reviews | **72.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | — |
| Size | 1003 MB | 424 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Dirtybit AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/484858667) | [MDickie Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/498978165) |

## What reviewers say

### FR3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fr3-multiplayer-games/id1118878857)

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Grossing · Racing, #116 Top Grossing · Adventure, #193 Top Free · Racing (US App Store)

Compete in real-time multiplayer races against players worldwide. Sabotage opponents, use power-ups, and customize your avatar. Join clans and battle in the new Arena mode for ultimate glory.

**Highlights:** Real-time multiplayer races, Sabotage opponents, 30+ new power-ups, Arena 8-player elimination mode, Clan Battles (2v2), Avatar customization, Leaderboard climbing

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Daily XP Bonus! | $0.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Arena Season Ticket | $1.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| 550 gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Fun Run - racing starter pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big Daily XP Bonus! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Event Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1200 gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2500 gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 🎨 Cute and creative character designs
- 🤝 Enjoyable multiplayer experience
- 🏆 Competitive arena mode

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🤖 Unbalanced matchmaking
- 🕰️ Slow progression and rewards

**Reported bugs**

- Disconnection issues during races
- Power-ups not functioning as expected
- Incorrect race placements
- Clan invites/deletions not working properly

**Requested features**

- More affordable customization options
- Improved clan/party features
- Varied game modes and maps
- Better anti-cheat measures
- Faster leveling and rewards


### Hard Time III

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hard-time-iii/id6502045884)

Experience a challenging prison simulation with real-time survival, intricate relationships, and a deep combat system. Explore an expanded world, craft weapons, and even switch roles to enforce the law. Customize your experience with an editor and enjoy enhanced visuals.

**Highlights:** Real-time prison survival, Advanced dialogue system, Wrestling-inspired combat, Dual-wielding interactive props, Creative crafting system, Police role-playing, Inbuilt character editor

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlocked | $3.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Good game
- 👍 Brings back childhood memories
- 🚀 Constantly updated
- 👍 Enjoyable experience
- 🚀 Great mobile game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Camera issues
- 🐛 Glitches
- 🐛 Aggressive NPCs
- 🐛 Frequent arrests

**Reported bugs**

- Teleporting through walls
- Limbs spawning back on
- NPCs attacking for no reason
- Freezing when talking to NPCs
- Camera getting stuck in walls

**Requested features**

- Add controller support
- Improve camera controls
- Add more customization options
- Implement a sandbox mode
- Add more gang/faction features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FR3 free?

FR3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hard Time III free?

Hard Time III is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FR3 or Hard Time III?

FR3 is rated higher. FR3 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 235K ratings, while Hard Time III averages 4.3 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do FR3 or Hard Time III have ads?

Both FR3 and Hard Time III show ads.

### Which is updated more often, FR3 or Hard Time III?

FR3 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hard Time III every 5 weeks. Most recently, FR3 was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hard Time III on October 31, 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.*