# Arcaea vs ThumBeat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ThumBeat at none against Arcaea's 3. ThumBeat also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 78%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Arcaea's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (25K vs 3). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arcaea sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. ThumBeat asks for nothing beyond the download.

ThumBeat holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Arcaea has 25K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Arcaea's written reviews are positive against 100% of ThumBeat's.

Arcaea ships an update every 8 days, ThumBeat weekly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arcaea | ThumBeat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcaea/id1205999125/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbeat/id1386332397/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#60** | — |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 292 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [lowiro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381393762) | [Sprytosaur Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1386332396) |

## What reviewers say

### Arcaea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcaea/id1205999125)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Grossing · Music, #94 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Experience a unique rhythm game that blends challenging gameplay with an immersive story. Progress through a narrative driven by your performance, unlock new difficulties, and compete with others online. Enjoy a vast library of music, with more available through content packs.

**Highlights:** Novel gameplay mechanics, Immersive sound and story, High difficulty ceiling, Over 350 songs, 3 rhythm difficulty levels per song, Real-time online multiplayer, Rich Main Story and Side Stories

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Memories | $0.99 | one-time |
| 510 Memories | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1020 Memories | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Unique gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and art
- 🎶 Excellent music selection
- 👍 Smooth and responsive controls
- 💯 Challenging yet rewarding difficulty

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for content
- 🔁 Repetitive grind in World Mode
- 🐛 Occasional note registration issues
- 🔊 Audio desync when multitasking
- 🤖 Lack of practice mode or tutorial

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and account sync problems
- Compatibility problems on certain devices
- Crashes and freezes during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode to compete with friends
- Ability to earn premium currency through gameplay
- More free song options to explore the game
- Customizable note speed and offset settings
- Improved story mode and character development


### ThumBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbeat/id1386332397)

A one-handed rhythm game designed for on-the-go play. Enjoy a nostalgic soundtrack and customizable difficulty levels, playable with either hand. Push your limits with speed multipliers and multiple language options.

**Highlights:** One-handed gameplay, 8-bit electronic and guitar music, Left/right-handed play, Adjustable difficulty levels, Speed multiplier option, Multiple language support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arcaea free?

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

### Is ThumBeat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Arcaea or ThumBeat?

ThumBeat is rated higher. Arcaea averages 4.8 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while ThumBeat averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Arcaea or ThumBeat have ads?

ThumBeat shows ads; Arcaea does not.

### Which is updated more often, Arcaea or ThumBeat?

Arcaea ships an update every 8 days, and ThumBeat weekly. Most recently, Arcaea was updated on October 19, 2026 and ThumBeat 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.*