# Arcaea vs Rhythm Hive

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 #86). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Arcaea | Rhythm Hive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcaea/id1205999125/reviews)** | [4.5 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rhythm-hive/id1537758048/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 25K | **38K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.3% of reviews** | 61.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #86 | **#11** |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 342 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [lowiro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381393762) | [DRIMAGE Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1617588027) |

## What reviewers say

### Arcaea

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

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Music, #88 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


### Rhythm Hive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rhythm-hive/id1537758048)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Music, #23 Top Free · Music, #137 Top Grossing · Action, #206 Top Free · Action (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (27)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hive Pass : BTS | $4.99 | per month |
| Hive Pass : TXT | $4.99 | per month |
| Hive Pass : ENHYPEN | $4.99 | per month |
| Hive Pass : SVT. | $4.99 | per month |
| FAN Plus : BTS | $6.49 | per month |
| FAN Plus : TXT | $6.49 | per month |
| FAN Plus : ENHYPEN | $6.49 | per month |
| FAN Plus : SEVENTEEN | $6.49 | per month |
| rhv_com_megastep01 | $0.79 | one-time |
| rhv_com_eventstep001 | $0.79 | one-time |
| rhv_njs_welcomepkg_01 | $0.99 | one-time |
| rhv_bts_step1_pkg | $0.99 | one-time |
| rhv_bts_fx_daily_pkg | $1.99 | one-time |
| rhv_lsf_fx_daily_pkg | $1.99 | one-time |
| rhv_njs_fx_daily_pkg | $1.99 | one-time |
| rhv_ill_fx_daily_pkg | $1.99 | one-time |
| rhv_com_megastep03 | $2.99 | one-time |
| rhv_com_royalpass | $2.99 | one-time |
| rhv_com_royalpassplus | $3.99 | one-time |
| rhv_com_event_005 | $3.99 | one-time |
| rhv_bts_eventpkg002 | $3.99 | one-time |
| rhv_svt_eventpkg002 | $3.99 | one-time |
| rhv_com_eventpass001 | $6.99 | one-time |
| rhv_ill_dailylive_pkg | $6.99 | one-time |
| rhv_svt_dailylive_pkg | $6.99 | one-time |
| rhv_enh_dailylive_pkg | $6.99 | one-time |
| rhv_com_event_exppkg | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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 #86 in the App Store charts, and Rhythm Hive at #11. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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