# Catan Universe vs Message Games

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Message Games at 100% against Catan Universe's 13%. Message Games also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). Catan Universe's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (31K vs 8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Catan Universe sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Message Games sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Message Games holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Catan Universe has 31K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Catan Universe's written reviews are positive against 100% of Message Games's.

Catan Universe ships an update every 2 months, Message Games every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Catan Universe | Message Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (31K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catan-universe/id1220346113/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/message-games/id6790284013/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **31K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 12.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#166** | — |
| Size | 901 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [United Soft Media Verlag GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/330111789) | [Bradley Knispel](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790284015) |

## What reviewers say

### Catan Universe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catan-universe/id1220346113)

**Currently charting:** #166 Top Grossing · Board, #176 Top Free · Strategy, #208 Top Free · Board (US App Store)

Experience the classic board game and its card game counterpart on your mobile device. Trade, build, and settle on the island of Catan, competing against players worldwide. Unlock expansions and new game modes for endless strategic fun.

**Highlights:** Trade, build, and settle, Play across multiple devices with one account, Faithful adaptation of board and card games, Design your own avatar, Chat with players and form guilds, Participate in seasons and win prizes, Unlock achievements and rewards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 200 Catan Gold | $2.99 | one-time |
| 300 Catan Gold | $3.99 | one-time |
| 500 Catan Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| 900 Catan Gold | $7.99 | one-time |
| 1700 Catan Gold | $14.99 | one-time |
| 3000 Catan Gold | $26.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great representation of board game
- 👍 Lots of game modes and expansions
- 🎨 Good visual design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔁 Unreliable connectivity and server issues
- 🤖 Unfair and unbalanced AI
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes and gets stuck during play
- Frequent log-out and login issues
- Inconsistent enforcement of game rules
- Disappearing resources and settlements

**Requested features**

- Add ability to mute group chat
- Improve trade interface and AI trading behavior
- Randomize dice rolls and resource distribution
- Provide more customization options for game setup


### Message Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/message-games/id6790284013)

Transform your iMessage chats into interactive game sessions. Challenge friends to a variety of multiplayer games playable directly within your conversations. Enjoy free games or customize experiences with premium options.

**Highlights:** Play games inside iMessage, Collection of multiplayer games, Customize games with themes, Unlock premium modes and features, Ad-free experience with subscription

**Features:** iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Message Games Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Flip Cup Tiki Party | $0.99 | one-time |
| RPS - Medieval Battle | $0.99 | one-time |
| RPS Neon | $0.99 | one-time |
| RPS Real Objects | $0.99 | one-time |
| Guns N' Bullets Ultimate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Card Match Ultimate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Shot Clock Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chess Clock Pack | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Catan Universe free?

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

### Is Message Games free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Catan Universe or Message Games?

Message Games is rated higher. Catan Universe averages 3.8 out of 5 from 31K ratings, while Message Games averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Catan Universe or Message Games have ads?

Message Games shows ads; Catan Universe does not.

### Which is updated more often, Catan Universe or Message Games?

Catan Universe ships an update every 2 months, and Message Games every 8 days. Most recently, Catan Universe was updated on October 24, 2026 and Message Games on October 24, 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.*