# Smart Pirate vs Dark Romance

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Smart Pirate at 100% against Dark Romance's 42%. Smart Pirate also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Dark Romance's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (596 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart Pirate sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Dark Romance sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dark Romance holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dark Romance has 596 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Smart Pirate's written reviews are positive against 42% of Dark Romance's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Smart Pirate ships an update monthly, Dark Romance every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Pirate | Dark Romance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pirate/id1225055252/reviews) | **[4.7 (596 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-romance-notre-dame/id1477806821/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **596** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 41.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 47 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Sergey Kiselev](https://appshunter.io/developer/1039329002) | [DO GAMES LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542346466) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart Pirate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-pirate/id1225055252)

Embark on a puzzle adventure to uncover hidden pirate treasures. Solve clever puzzles and open intricate boxes across mystical islands. Discover lost gold and diamonds by exploring and conquering challenges.

**Highlights:** Puzzle solving, Treasure hunting, Island exploration, Clever box challenges, Discover gold and diamonds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30 Lives | $0.99 | one-time |
| 30 Tips | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Lives | $2.99 | one-time |
| 100 Tips | $2.99 | one-time |


### Dark Romance

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-romance-notre-dame/id1477806821)

Embark on a hidden object adventure set in Paris, inspired by a classic novel. Uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and work with characters to save the city from a dangerous criminal and dark magic. This Collector's Edition offers bonus content and a compelling story.

**Highlights:** Hidden object gameplay, Intriguing story and puzzles, Collector's Edition bonus materials, Bonus Chapter with unique content, Unlockable costumes and collectibles, Strategy guide for assistance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscribers' Full Game Unlock. | $8.99 | one-time |
| Full Game Unlock | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Engaging story
- 🎨 Detailed graphics
- 🕹️ Variety of puzzles and mini-games
- 🕰️ Long gameplay duration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring bugs and glitches
- 🚫 Disappearing hint/skip buttons
- 🤯 Game crashes and freezes
- 💰 High price for a buggy game

**Reported bugs**

- Candle disappearing in Quasimodo's story
- Minigame on the stone knight crashing the game
- Inability to progress past certain points due to bugs
- Hint/skip buttons not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Fix issues with the candle in Quasimodo's story
- Improve quality control and testing before release
- Provide refunds or compensation for affected users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Pirate free?

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

### Is Dark Romance free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Smart Pirate or Dark Romance?

Dark Romance is rated higher. Smart Pirate averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Dark Romance averages 4.7 from 596 ratings.

### Do Smart Pirate or Dark Romance have ads?

Dark Romance shows ads; Smart Pirate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Pirate or Dark Romance?

Smart Pirate ships an update monthly, and Dark Romance every 3 months. Most recently, Smart Pirate was updated on November 2, 2026 and Dark Romance on November 10, 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.*