# Potion Explosion vs HardBack

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HardBack at none against Potion Explosion's 1. HardBack also leads on review sentiment (54% vs 40%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). Potion Explosion's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (273 vs 39). On update cadence, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Potion Explosion costs $3.99 and HardBack $4.99 up front. Potion Explosion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HardBack asks for nothing beyond the download.

Potion Explosion holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Potion Explosion has 273 ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Potion Explosion's written reviews are positive against 54% of HardBack's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Potion Explosion ships an update every 11 days, HardBack every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Potion Explosion | HardBack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.0 (273 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potion-explosion/id1162628471/reviews)** | [3.8 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardback/id1377791842/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **273** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 40.2% of reviews | **53.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #97 | **#79** |
| Size | 192 MB | 281 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horrible Guild](https://appshunter.io/developer/1460296043) | [Fowers Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1131388980) |

## What reviewers say

### Potion Explosion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potion-explosion/id1162628471)

**Currently charting:** #97 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

This is a digital adaptation of an award-winning puzzle board game where players collect magical ingredients to brew powerful potions. Engage in tactical gameplay, trigger chain reactions, and compete against AI or players worldwide to score the most points.

**Highlights:** Official adaptation of award-winning board game, Solo mode against AI, Online multiplayer with worldwide leaderboard, Tactical gameplay with strategic depth, The Fifth Ingredient expansion available, Magical universe with enhanced digital elements

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Fifth Ingredient | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🧠 Engaging and strategic gameplay
- 🕹️ Smooth offline experience
- 💰 Good value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔌 Drains battery quickly
- 🕰️ Online games prone to freezing and synchronization issues
- 🤖 AI opponents too difficult or too easy

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to complete online games
- Incorrect scoring and game state displayed
- Potions and ingredients not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Notification system for online games
- Ability to undo moves
- Random selection of professors
- More challenging AI opponents


### HardBack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardback/id1377791842)

**Currently charting:** #79 Top Paid · Card, #121 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Build a deck of letters to craft words and earn prestige in this unique word game. Specialize in genres, push your luck for extra cards, and race to become a celebrated 19th-century novelist. Challenge AI opponents or play with friends.

**Highlights:** Deck-building with letter cards, Genre specialization for bonuses, Push-your-luck card drawing, Hotseat and online multiplayer, AI opponents, Hardcore mode with no word repeats

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Potion Explosion free?

Potion Explosion costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is HardBack free?

HardBack costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Potion Explosion or HardBack?

Potion Explosion is rated higher. Potion Explosion averages 4.0 out of 5 from 273 ratings, while HardBack averages 3.8 from 39 ratings.

### Do Potion Explosion or HardBack have ads?

Neither Potion Explosion nor HardBack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Potion Explosion or HardBack?

Potion Explosion ships an update every 11 days, and HardBack every 2 weeks. Most recently, Potion Explosion was updated on October 11, 2026 and HardBack on October 12, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Potion Explosion or HardBack?

Potion Explosion currently peaks at #97 in the App Store charts, and HardBack at #79. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*