# Arcaea vs Paradigm

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Arcaea at 25K against Paradigm's 268. Arcaea also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arcaea sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Paradigm sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Arcaea against 4.7 for Paradigm. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Arcaea has 25K ratings behind it against 268, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Arcaea's written reviews are positive against 81% of Paradigm's.

Arcaea ships an update every 8 days, Paradigm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arcaea | Paradigm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcaea/id1205999125/reviews)** | [4.7 (268 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paradigm-reboot/id1499645558/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 268 |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **81.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#80** | — |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 1.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [lowiro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381393762) | [Xiamen TunerGames Network Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1489164605) |

## What reviewers say

### Arcaea

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

**Currently charting:** #80 Top Grossing · Music, #92 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


### Paradigm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paradigm-reboot/id1499645558)

Experience a unique rhythm game set in 3D space, blending music gameplay with a narrative. Navigate four-sided levels with special "Space" notes and enjoy a wide range of music from global artists. The game offers adjustable difficulty for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** Stereoscopic 3D gameplay, Four-sided rhythm mechanics, Unique "Space" notes, Storytelling elements, Adjustable difficulty levels, Global artist music library

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Single "Encore" | $0.99 | one-time |
| Single "On And On!!" | $0.99 | one-time |
| Single "Subterranean Blastoff" | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20 Active Crystal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Side Album "Duplex Fusion" | $3.99 | one-time |
| Side Album "Still Existence" | $3.99 | one-time |
| Solo Album "Vivacious Party" | $3.99 | one-time |
| Main Story Album Chapter 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 110 Active Crystal | $4.99 | one-time |
| 450 Active Crystal | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Active Crystal | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Innovative gameplay
- 🎨 Impressive visuals and art style
- 🎵 High-quality music and soundtracks
- 💰 Generous free-to-play model
- 🎢 Compelling story and characters

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔑 Difficulty unlocking content
- 🤖 Challenging charts and high skill ceiling
- 🌐 Connectivity issues for some users
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Rewards button causing performance issues
- Inconsistent save data syncing
- Difficulty unlocking purchased content

**Requested features**

- Offline mode
- More difficulty options
- Improved new player onboarding
- Expanded song library
- Smoother account management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arcaea free?

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

### Is Paradigm free?

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

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

Arcaea is rated higher. Arcaea averages 4.8 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Paradigm averages 4.7 from 268 ratings.

### Do Arcaea or Paradigm have ads?

Neither Arcaea nor Paradigm shows ads.

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

Arcaea ships an update every 8 days, and Paradigm every 3 weeks. Most recently, Arcaea was updated on October 22, 2026 and Paradigm 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.*