# Phoenix 2 vs Up in a Cup

The clearest difference is price: Phoenix 2 at Free against Up in a Cup's $0.99. Phoenix 2 also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (26K vs 4). Up in a Cup's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Phoenix 2 is free to download; Up in a Cup costs $0.99 up front. Phoenix 2 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Up in a Cup asks for nothing beyond the download.

Up in a Cup holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phoenix 2 has 26K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Phoenix 2's written reviews are positive against 100% of Up in a Cup's.

Phoenix 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, Up in a Cup every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 15, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phoenix 2 | Up in a Cup |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/up-in-a-cup/id6736694212/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 73.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 295 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Firi Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/361212278) | [Clay Pot Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/866702193) |

## What reviewers say

### Phoenix 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689)

Blast through waves of alien invaders in this classic arcade shooter. Collect and upgrade over 100 unique ships, experience an action-packed campaign, and compete on global leaderboards. Enjoy short game sessions or challenging daily missions with stunning 120FPS graphics.

**Highlights:** Over 100 unique ships to collect and upgrade, 30 story missions and daily generated missions, Special abilities like Mega Laser and Personal Shield, Global leaderboards and community features, Short game sessions for on-the-go play, Stunning 120FPS graphics, Cross-platform saving and play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 800 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $4.99 | one-time |
| 12000 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $19.99 | one-time |
| 65000 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic mobile game
- 🚀 Incredibly fun and addictive
- 🚀 Best bullet hell game on the phone
- 🚀 Easily the best bullet hell I've played
- 🚀 Amazing game for on the go fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Great Gameplay Ruined by Frustrating Ad Experience
- 💰 Supers aren't well implemented
- 💰 Micro-transactions too much
- 💰 Progression limited, hard to earn credits
- 🐛 Terrible, uninspiring compared to original Phoenix HD

**Reported bugs**

- Warp gate charge time bug
- Occasional crashes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add haptic feedback
- Implement an endless mode
- Allow players to customize ships
- Add a level creator
- Provide an offline mode


### Up in a Cup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/up-in-a-cup/id6736694212)

Launch a disk through challenging obstacles to reach a cup and score points. Navigate through 100 unique levels, each with five distinct phases that increase in difficulty. Enjoy pure, uninterrupted arcade gameplay.

**Highlights:** Arcade-style gameplay, Launch disk through obstacles, Score points by reaching cups, 100 challenging levels, Five distinct level phases, Increasing difficulty

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phoenix 2 free?

Phoenix 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Up in a Cup free?

Up in a Cup costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phoenix 2 or Up in a Cup?

Up in a Cup is rated higher. Phoenix 2 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Up in a Cup averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Phoenix 2 or Up in a Cup have ads?

Phoenix 2 shows ads; Up in a Cup does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phoenix 2 or Up in a Cup?

Phoenix 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Up in a Cup every 9 months. Most recently, Phoenix 2 was updated on November 15, 2026 and Up in a Cup on November 4, 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.*