# Armello vs Root Board Game

The clearest difference is price: Armello at Free against Root Board Game's $9.99. Armello also leads on iOS requirement (9.1 vs 13.0). Root Board Game's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (77% vs 61%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Armello is free to download; Root Board Game costs $9.99 up front. Armello sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Root Board Game sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Root Board Game holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 5.4K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Armello's written reviews are positive against 77% of Root Board Game's.

Armello ships an update every 2 weeks, Root Board Game every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Armello | Root Board Game |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/armello/id1154749673/reviews) | **[4.9 (5.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/root-board-game/id1439262206/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K | **5.4K** |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | **77.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#9** |
| Size | 810 MB | 505 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [League of Geeks Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154749672) | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) |

## 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


### Root Board Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/root-board-game/id1439262206)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Paid · Board, #41 Top Paid · Strategy, #104 Top Paid · Games, #158 Top Paid, #174 Top Grossing · Board (US App Store)

Experience a digital adaptation of a popular tabletop board game. Engage in strategic woodland warfare as 2 to 4 players vie for control of a vast wilderness, leading diverse factions to victory.

**Highlights:** Digital board game adaptation, Adventure and war gameplay, 2-4 player battles, Faction control mechanics, Wilderness exploration

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Clockwork Expansion | $5.99 | one-time |
| Exiles & Partisans & Vagabonds | $7.99 | one-time |
| The Riverfolk Expansion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Root: The Underworld Expansion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Root: The Marauder Expansion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hirelings & Landmarks | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful adaptation of the board game
- 🎨 Charming visuals and animations
- 🕹️ Smooth gameplay
- 🧠 Helpful tutorials for learning the game
- 🕹️ Great way to practice and learn the game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🕹️ AI could be improved, makes questionable decisions
- 🕹️ Lack of undo button frustrating
- 🕹️ Replaying opponent moves can be tedious
- 🕹️ Animations can be slow, need option to speed up

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes during gameplay
- Issues with async game notifications and state
- Bugs with specific faction mechanics (e.g. Vagabond)

**Requested features**

- Add undo button
- Implement option to skip/speed up opponent moves
- Include expansion factions and maps
- Add match history and player stats tracking
- Improve async game notifications and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Armello free?

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

### Is Root Board Game free?

Root Board Game costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Armello or Root Board Game?

Root Board Game is rated higher. Armello averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Root Board Game averages 4.9 from 5.4K ratings.

### Do Armello or Root Board Game have ads?

Neither Armello nor Root Board Game shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Armello or Root Board Game?

Armello ships an update every 2 weeks, and Root Board Game every 4 days. Most recently, Armello was updated on October 18, 2026 and Root Board Game on October 19, 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.*