# Armello vs Card Thief

The clearest difference is ads: Armello at none against Card Thief's shown. Armello also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 12.0). Card Thief's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (70% vs 61%). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Armello sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Card Thief sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Card Thief holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 981 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Armello's written reviews are positive against 70% of Card Thief's.

Armello ships an update every 2 weeks, Card Thief every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Armello | Card Thief |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/armello/id1154749673/reviews) | **[4.7 (981 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-thief/id1186226470/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 981 |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | **69.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 810 MB | 161 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.1** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [League of Geeks Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154749672) | [Arnold Rauers](https://appshunter.io/developer/538013421) |

## What reviewers say

### Armello

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/armello/id1154749673)

Experience a grand adventure blending card game tactics, tabletop strategy, and RPG elements. Explore a procedurally generated world with unique heroes and a dynamic quest system. Engage in fast-paced, politically complex decisions in a turn-based day and night cycle.

**Highlights:** Card game tactics, Turn-based tabletop strategy, Fantastical RPG adventure, Procedurally generated maps, Unique playable heroes, Dynamic quest system, Animated cards

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fistful of Shards | $0.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Shards | $4.99 | one-time |
| Shower of Shards | $9.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Shards | $19.99 | one-time |
| Wagon of Shards | $25.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Relaxing & fun gameplay
- 👍 Great combination of tactics, strategy, and luck
- 👍 Unique game with apt name
- 🎨 Stunning art and visuals
- 👍 Addictive and enjoyable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with achievement tracking and rewards
- 🐛 Multiplayer matchmaking and connectivity problems
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🔍 Lack of full board overview
- 🕰️ Short turn timers in multiplayer

**Reported bugs**

- Challenges not registering as completed
- Achievements not unlocking properly
- Multiplayer connectivity issues and game crashes
- Compatibility problems on certain devices
- Freezing and loading screen issues

**Requested features**

- More game modes and win conditions
- Larger board/map options
- Terrain variety with unique characteristics
- Offline play/pass-and-play mode
- Cross-platform multiplayer


### Card Thief

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-thief/id1186226470)

A solitaire-style stealth game where you play as a master thief. Sneak through darkness, steal treasure, and escape without getting caught. It offers deep strategy and roguelike replayability in short, engaging sessions.

**Highlights:** Solitaire-style stealth gameplay, 4 unique heists, Unlockable equipment cards, Hireable thieves with special rules, Mini deck-building mechanics, Daily Heist mode with leaderboards, Roguelike replayability, Offline play

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Card Thief | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Fun and unique stealth mechanics
- 👍 Very fun for offline gaming
- 👍 New favorite card game
- 👍 Creative and addictive game

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ What is the goal?
- 🐛 Issueee
- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Crashes on load
- 🐛 Cannot select path

**Reported bugs**

- Crystals which you can get when playing are useless
- Notch covers game information on iPhone X+
- Ads error prevents chest opening
- Hideout heists have unrealistically high scores
- Can't open hideout, game crashes

**Requested features**

- More enemies or traps to deal with
- More equipment to try out
- 4x4 layout rather than 3x3
- Endless mode
- Multiplayer compatibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Armello free?

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

### Is Card Thief free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Armello or Card Thief?

Card Thief is rated higher. Armello averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Card Thief averages 4.7 from 981 ratings.

### Do Armello or Card Thief have ads?

Card Thief shows ads; Armello does not.

### Which is updated more often, Armello or Card Thief?

Armello ships an update every 2 weeks, and Card Thief every 4 months. Most recently, Armello was updated on October 21, 2026 and Card Thief on October 20, 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.*