# Arrow.io vs Brutal.io

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Brutal.io at none against Arrow.io's 10. Brutal.io also leads on rating (3.9 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (58% vs 39%). Arrow.io's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arrow.io sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Brutal.io asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brutal.io holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.4K and 5.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Arrow.io's written reviews are positive against 58% of Brutal.io's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arrow.io | Brutal.io |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arrowio/id1183708679/reviews) | **[3.9 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brutalio/id1214758633/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.4K | **5.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews | **57.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 716 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Forward Vision Corporation Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/949821679) | [Think Alike, Lda](https://appshunter.io/developer/340657389) |

## What reviewers say

### Arrow.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arrowio/id1183708679)

Engage in fast-paced multiplayer battles as a pixelated character. Aim and shoot arrows to defeat opponents worldwide. Discover random skill upgrades with each update for unpredictable gameplay.

**Highlights:** Virtual control lever for movement, Defeat opponents with arrows, Random skill upgrades, Hundreds of skill combinations, Pixel-man player customization, Instant multiplayer battles

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Productivity Card | $0.99 | one-time |
| 60 diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 7-days Card | $0.99 | one-time |
| Breakthrough Card | $0.99 | one-time |
| Lucky Card | $0.99 | one-time |
| Value newbie card | $0.99 | one-time |
| 300 diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium 7-days Card | $4.99 | one-time |
| 680 diamonds | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1280 diamonds | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Great concept and simple controls
- 💡 Variety of characters and upgrades

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- 🔌 Connectivity issues and server problems
- 💰 Excessive ads and microtransactions
- 🌐 Language and translation issues

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes and freezes
- Accounts being reset or progress lost
- Unresponsive controls and input issues
- Matchmaking and connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- Improved online matchmaking and stability
- More game modes and content updates
- Better character balancing and progression
- Customization options and social features


### Brutal.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brutalio/id1214758633)

Engage in real-time 2D physics battles in an online arena. Control a car with a flail, outmaneuver opponents, and use strategic physics-based tactics to win. Avoid sentinels that steal energy.

**Highlights:** Real-time online battles, 2D physics gameplay, Car and flail control, Strategic combat, Global multiplayer

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique mechanics
- 🕹️ Fun and challenging
- 🌟 Great for passing time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficulty controlling flail
- 🤯 Can induce rage
- 🧱 Campers blocking middle area
- 🕸️ Laggy and glitchy at times
- 💰 Too many ads

**Reported bugs**

- Flail glitching and causing unintended deaths
- Invisible players and objects
- Freezing and unresponsive controls
- Inconsistent collision detection

**Requested features**

- Offline mode with bots
- Different game modes (team, battle royale)
- Ability to customize character/flail
- Leaderboard and achievements
- Improved matchmaking/skill-based pairing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arrow.io free?

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

### Is Brutal.io free?

Brutal.io is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Arrow.io or Brutal.io?

Brutal.io is rated higher. Arrow.io averages 3.5 out of 5 from 3.4K ratings, while Brutal.io averages 3.9 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Arrow.io or Brutal.io have ads?

Both Arrow.io and Brutal.io show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Arrow.io or Brutal.io?

Arrow.io ships an update every 2 months, and Brutal.io every 2 months. Most recently, Arrow.io was updated on October 17, 2026 and Brutal.io on October 17, 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.*
