# Pac.io vs Pixel Star Assault

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pixel Star Assault at every 4 days against Pac.io's fortnightly. Pac.io's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pac.io sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Pixel Star Assault sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pac.io ships an update fortnightly, Pixel Star Assault every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pac.io | Pixel Star Assault |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (297 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **297** | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 139 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nomadic Bear Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1188304416) | [Giulio Zaccardo](https://appshunter.io/developer/6797644532) |

## What reviewers say

### Pac.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778)

Engage in an addictive grid-battle by swiping to outsmart opponents and dominate the arena. Utilize a variety of power-ups and unlock unique skins to enhance your gameplay and rise through the ranks. Enjoy endless fun offline or online with intuitive controls.

**Highlights:** Swipe controls for movement, Strategic power-ups, Unlockable skins, Offline and online play, Intuitive gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Magnet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Thunder | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sword | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big Coin Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Coin Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Huge Coin Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Massive Coin Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😍 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🎮 Fun Pac-Man inspired mechanics
- 👥 Real multiplayer players (not just bots)
- ⚡ Fast-paced and entertaining
- 🏆 Leaderboard and competitive features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads throughout gameplay
- ⚠️ Ads interrupt and crash the game
- 😤 Unfair difficulty and instant death
- 🎮 Sliding controls instead of D-pad/joystick
- 🤖 Questionable AI behavior and cheating

**Reported bugs**

- Ads crash game at end of video
- Game freezes after ad completion
- Pink screen ad that cannot be closed
- Instant death upon spawning
- Players getting stuck behind walls

**Requested features**

- Arrow buttons or D-pad controls instead of sliding
- Ad-free premium version for purchase
- Ability to disable ads with WiFi off
- Friend list and private room creation
- Real player names instead of randomized ones


### Pixel Star Assault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-star-assault/id6800903008)

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5,000 Scrap | $0.49 | one-time |
| 12,000 Scrap — 47% Bonus | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20,000 Scrap — 59% Bonus | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fleet Pass | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pac.io free?

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

### Is Pixel Star Assault free?

Pixel Star Assault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Pac.io or Pixel Star Assault have ads?

Both Pac.io and Pixel Star Assault show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pac.io or Pixel Star Assault?

Pac.io ships an update fortnightly, and Pixel Star Assault every 4 days. Most recently, Pac.io was updated on October 17, 2026 and Pixel Star Assault on October 11, 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.*