Comparison

Arcaea vs Rhythm Hive

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Arcaea

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
Read full description

New Dimension Rhythm Game - Experience sound and story unlike ever before. "A harmony of Light awaits you in a lost world of musical Conflict." In a world of white, and surrounded by “memory”, two girls awaken under glass-filled skies. Arcaea is a mobile rhythm game for both experienced and new rhythm game players alike, blending novel gameplay, immersive sound, and a powerful story of wonder and heartache. Experience gameplay that reflects the story’s emotions and events—and progress to unlock more of this unfurling narrative. Challenging trials can be discovered through play, higher difficulties can be unlocked, and a real-time online mode is available to face off against other players. Arcaea does not require an internet connection for play, and is fully playable both on smartphones and tablets. On install the game includes a large library of free playable songs, and more can be made available by acquiring additional songs and content packs. ==Features== - A high difficulty ceiling - experience personal growth as you develop skills in arcade-style progression - Over 350 songs from more than 200 artists famous across other games - 3 rhythm difficulty levels for every song - An expanding music library through regular content updates - Collaborations with other beloved rhythm games - Online friends and scoreboards - Real-time online multiplayer - A Course Mode that tests endurance through gauntlets of songs - A rich Main Story that features two protagonist’s perspectives across a powerful journey - Additional Side and Short Stories of varying styles and perspectives featuring the game’s characters that build upon the world of Arcaea - A vast array of original characters and guest characters from collaborations to accompany you, level up, and alter your play through many game-changing skills - Stunning, never-before-seen connections to storylines via gameplay, challenging the very paradigm of play ==Story== Two girls find themselves in a colorless world full of memory, and with no memory of themselves. Each alone, they set out into places often beautiful, and just as often dangerous. Arcaea’s story is interwoven throughout Main, Side, and Short stories which each focus on individual, playable characters. While separate, they all share the same space: the world of Arcaea. Their reactions to it, and its reactions to them, form an ever-shifting narrative of mystery, sorrow, and bliss. As they explore this heavenly place, follow their steps down paths of glass and grief. --- Follow Arcaea & News: Twitter: http://twitter.com/arcaea_en Facebook: http://facebook.com/arcaeagame

About

Rhythm Hive

Play rhythm games featuring music from popular K-Pop artists. Collect artist photo cards, unlock exclusive voice and message cards, and create personalized diaries with artist themes and stickers. New users and Weverse members receive special rewards.

Highlights
  • Play rhythm games with K-Pop music
  • Collect artist photo cards
  • Unlock exclusive voice and message cards
  • Create artist-themed diaries
  • New user missions and rewards
  • Weverse user exclusive rewards
Features
Read full description

HYBE Official Rhythm Game - Rhythm Hive ■ BTS, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, BOYNEXTDOOR, ILLIT, TWS’s music in rhythm games! Enjoy full or short versions of Artist’s songs! One more news! You can even play solo and unit songs! Check out the newest songs and different versions of existing songs like "FYA", "Stick With You", "No Way Back (feat. So!YoON!)", "Bad Influence (Prod. by Pharrell Williams)", "SPAGHETTI (feat. j-hope of BTS)", "How Sweet", "JAM!", "NOT ME", "You, You" and more! ■ Check out and collect all of Artist’s Photo Cards through the Collection Book! You can check out Artist’s various themes, and gather a desired Artist’s cards through missions! ■ Voice and Message Cards only available on Rhythm Hive + dynamic Live Cards never before seen anywhere else! Check out Voice and Message Cards recorded by the Artists themselves and see them move on UR Grade Cards now! ■ From debut to now, check out various forms of Artists through Cards! What happens if you gather and improve Cards?! You can check out various forms of Artists through Rhythm Hive exclusive Selfie Cards! ■ Your very own Diary you can make with Artists! Have you tried putting on various stickers? Create your own Diary theme consisting of album covers and cute and cool moments of Artists, and decorate it with stickers! ■ New missions and guides for new users! New missions and guides for Hivers logging in for the first time! Learn the game, get rewards! Have fun playing!! ■ Special rewards for Weverse users! Link with your Weverse account (whether it be BTS, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, BOYNEXTDOOR, ILLIT, TWS) for special rewards! [Smartphone App Access Permission Notice] Rhythm Hive requires access to the following to provide its services. ---- [Smartphone App Access Permission Notice] Rhythm Hive requires access to the following to provide its services. [Optional] - Storage (Photos/Media/Files): Required for saving images when taking a photo. - Notifications: Required to receive updates and PUSH notifications from the game app. *Choosing not to allow optional access permissions will still let you use the app. [How to Deny Access Permission] - Settings > Privacy > Select Permission manager > Allow or deny permission. *App permissions are used for playing the game only and are not used for any other purposes. [Product Information and Terms] ※ A separate fee is charged for purchasing paid content. ▶ Payment amounts and methods are separately announced and are different for each product. (The actual charged amount may differ for foreign currencies depending on the exchange rate, fee, etc.) ▶ Product terms and periods are announced separately in the game. ▶ You can purchase the subscription product via in-app purchase, and the transaction is made each month from the date of your first purchase until you cancel the subscription. ※ If you don't cancel the subscription within 24 hours before the next transaction day, it is renewed automatically, and the cancellation is handled in accordance with the Market's cancellation policy. [Contact] DRIMAGE Co., Ltd Privacy Policy: https://account.drimage.com/en/policies/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://account.drimage.com/en/policies/terms-of-service

Screenshots

Arcaea4 screens
Rhythm Hive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Arcaea at every 8 days against Rhythm Hive's every 5 weeks. Arcaea also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (78% vs 61%). Rhythm Hive's advantage is chart position (#11 vs #82). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Arcaea sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Rhythm Hive sells 27 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Arcaea holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25K and 38K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Arcaea's written reviews are positive against 61% of Rhythm Hive's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Arcaea ships an update every 8 days, Rhythm Hive every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Arcaea versus Rhythm Hive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArcaeaRhythm Hive
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (25K ratings) — better4.5 (38K ratings)
Positive reviews78.3% of reviews — better61.5% of reviews
Number of ratings25K38K — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#82#11 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.4 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.2 GB342 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperlowiroDRIMAGE Co., Ltd

Customer experience

Arcaea

All ratings24,557 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews1,248 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral6.8%
Negative14.9%

Rhythm Hive

All ratings37,030 ratings
Positive88.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative8.9%
Written reviews4,111 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral11.7%
Negative26.8%

User reviews

Arcaea

From 25K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Rhythm Hive

From 38K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎶 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 🎨 Visually appealing design
  • 🔀 Ability to switch between groups
  • 🙌 Enjoyable music and rhythm experience

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🔁 Repetitive and grindy gameplay
  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Confusing user interface
  • 🔒 Lack of customization and personalization options

Bugs and requests

Arcaea

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Rhythm Hive

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes and loading issues
  • Unresponsive touch controls
  • Incorrect note registrations
  • Sync issues between audio and gameplay

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more groups and songs
  • Improve card collection and progression system
  • Implement a pause button during gameplay
  • Introduce a competitive ranking system
  • Allow trading or selling of duplicate cards

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Arcaea

One-time3
  • 100 Memories$0.99
  • 510 Memories$4.99
  • 1020 Memories$9.99
27 purchases

Rhythm Hive

Subscriptions8
  • Hive Pass : BTS7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Hive Pass : TXT7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Hive Pass : ENHYPEN7 Days trial$4.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Hive Pass : SVT.7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • FAN Plus : BTS7 Days trial$6.491 Month
  • FAN Plus : TXT7 Days trial$6.491 Month
  • FAN Plus : ENHYPEN7 Days trial$6.491 Month
  • FAN Plus : SEVENTEEN7 Days trial$6.491 Month
One-time19
  • rhv_com_megastep01$0.79
  • rhv_com_eventstep001$0.79
  • rhv_njs_welcomepkg_01$0.99
Show 16 more
  • rhv_bts_step1_pkg$0.99
  • rhv_bts_fx_daily_pkg$1.99
  • rhv_lsf_fx_daily_pkg$1.99
  • rhv_njs_fx_daily_pkg$1.99
  • rhv_ill_fx_daily_pkg$1.99
  • rhv_com_megastep03$2.99
  • rhv_com_royalpass$2.99
  • rhv_com_royalpassplus$3.99
  • rhv_com_event_005$3.99
  • rhv_bts_eventpkg002$3.99
  • rhv_svt_eventpkg002$3.99
  • rhv_com_eventpass001$6.99
  • rhv_ill_dailylive_pkg$6.99
  • rhv_svt_dailylive_pkg$6.99
  • rhv_enh_dailylive_pkg$6.99
  • rhv_com_event_exppkg$7.99

Questions

Is Arcaea free?
Arcaea is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rhythm Hive free?
Rhythm Hive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Arcaea or Rhythm Hive?
Arcaea is rated higher. Arcaea averages 4.8 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Rhythm Hive averages 4.5 from 38K ratings.
Do Arcaea or Rhythm Hive have ads?
Neither Arcaea nor Rhythm Hive shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Arcaea or Rhythm Hive?
Arcaea ships an update every 8 days, and Rhythm Hive every 5 weeks. Most recently, Arcaea was updated on October 25, 2026 and Rhythm Hive on October 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Arcaea or Rhythm Hive?
Arcaea currently peaks at #82 in the App Store charts, and Rhythm Hive at #11. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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