# Potion Explosion vs Bandido

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bandido at none against Potion Explosion's 1. Bandido also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (50% vs 40%). Potion Explosion's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (273 vs 9). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Potion Explosion costs $3.99 and Bandido $2.99 up front. Potion Explosion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bandido asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bandido holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Potion Explosion has 273 ratings behind it against 9, 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 50% of Bandido's.

Potion Explosion ships an update every 11 days, Bandido every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Potion Explosion | Bandido |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [4.0 (273 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potion-explosion/id1162628471/reviews) | **[4.3 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bandido/id1590716175/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **273** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 40.2% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#154** | — |
| Size | 192 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horrible Guild](https://appshunter.io/developer/1460296043) | [Helvetiq SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851484637) |

## What reviewers say

### Potion Explosion

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

**Currently charting:** #154 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


### Bandido

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bandido/id1590716175)

A cooperative strategy game where players work together to block a prisoner's escape route through tunnels. Easy to learn, it offers quick setup and engaging gameplay for families.

**Highlights:** Cooperative gameplay, Strategy and route building, Family-friendly, Quick to learn rules, Card-based mechanics

**Features:** 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 Bandido free?

Bandido costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Bandido is rated higher. Potion Explosion averages 4.0 out of 5 from 273 ratings, while Bandido averages 4.3 from 9 ratings.

### Do Potion Explosion or Bandido have ads?

Neither Potion Explosion nor Bandido shows ads.

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

Potion Explosion ships an update every 11 days, and Bandido every 5 months. Most recently, Potion Explosion was updated on September 24, 2026 and Bandido on September 18, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*