# Potion Explosion vs Charterstone

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Charterstone at none against Potion Explosion's 1. Potion Explosion's advantage is rating (4.1 vs 3.6) and price ($3.99 vs $9.99). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Potion Explosion costs $3.99 and Charterstone $9.99 up front. Potion Explosion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Charterstone asks for nothing beyond the download.

Potion Explosion holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Potion Explosion has 282 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Potion Explosion's written reviews are positive against 35% of Charterstone's.

Potion Explosion ships an update every 11 days, Charterstone every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Potion Explosion | Charterstone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.1 (282 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potion-explosion/id1162628471/reviews)** | [3.6 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charterstone-digital-edition/id1457338857/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **282** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **40.2% of reviews** | 35.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#115** | — |
| Size | 192 MB | 329 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Horrible Guild](https://appshunter.io/developer/1460296043) | [Acram Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536417257) |

## What reviewers say

### Potion Explosion

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

**Currently charting:** #115 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


### Charterstone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charterstone-digital-edition/id1457338857)

This is a digital adaptation of a campaign strategy board game where players build the new Eternal City. It features a series of interconnected games, each with unique rules and objectives. Your decisions influence the campaign's progression and outcome, with no negative player interactions.

**Highlights:** Campaign strategy game, Build the Eternal City, Discover new buildings and mechanics, Manage workers and resources, Online and local multiplayer, AI opponents, Full 12-game campaign

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🎮 Faithful digital adaptation of board game
- 🎵 Great music and sound design
- 🤖 Competent AI opponents
- 📱 Smooth UI and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 📖 Poor tutorial for new players
- 🔤 Text too small on mobile devices
- ⚠️ Game-breaking bugs in campaign mode
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when entering online lobby
- Loading screen stuck at 0% or 1%
- Freezes on opponent's turn during campaign
- Game 6 and Game 9 specific crash issues
- Incorrect turn assignment in multiplayer

**Requested features**

- Font size adjustment slider
- Pinch zoom functionality
- Ability to create custom maps for single games
- Skip forced confirmation actions
- Better building information visibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Potion Explosion free?

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

### Is Charterstone free?

Charterstone costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Potion Explosion is rated higher. Potion Explosion averages 4.1 out of 5 from 282 ratings, while Charterstone averages 3.6 from 14 ratings.

### Do Potion Explosion or Charterstone have ads?

Neither Potion Explosion nor Charterstone shows ads.

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

Potion Explosion ships an update every 11 days, and Charterstone every 3 weeks. Most recently, Potion Explosion was updated on October 24, 2026 and Charterstone on October 24, 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.*