# Istanbul vs DeckHunter

The clearest difference is price: DeckHunter at Free against Istanbul's $6.99. DeckHunter also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 6 weeks). Istanbul's advantage is chart position (#96 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

DeckHunter is free to download; Istanbul costs $6.99 up front. Istanbul sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and DeckHunter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, DeckHunter every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Istanbul | DeckHunter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (458 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **458** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#96** | — |
| Size | 451 MB | 270 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Acram Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536417257) | [Linking Lotus Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830286207) |

## What reviewers say

### Istanbul

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606)

**Currently charting:** #96 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Compete as a merchant to collect rubies by trading goods and managing assistants across a bustling bazaar. Strategically move your merchant and assistants through various locations, each offering unique actions. Plan your moves carefully to outmaneuver opponents and achieve victory in this acclaimed board game adaptation.

**Highlights:** Collect rubies by trading goods, Manage merchant and assistants, Explore 16 bazaar locations, Increase wheelbarrow capacity, Acquire special abilities, Play against AI or friends, Cross-platform online multiplayer

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mocha & Baksheesh | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great digital implementation
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🕹️ Smooth gameplay
- 🤖 Challenging AI opponents
- 🕹️ Well-designed user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs with specific cards/tiles (e.g. 'sell any goods', mosque tile costs)
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes, especially on older devices
- 🐛 Issues with online/multiplayer functionality
- 🔋 Battery drain on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Certain cards/tiles not working as intended
- Game crashing or freezing during play
- Online/multiplayer functionality issues
- Tutorial getting stuck or not working properly

**Requested features**

- Add the Mocha & Baksheesh and Letters & Seals expansions
- Implement a companion tool to randomize the board setup
- Add push notifications for online game turns
- Support for more languages


### DeckHunter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deckhunter/id6749386470)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Istanbul free?

Istanbul costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is DeckHunter free?

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

### Do Istanbul or DeckHunter have ads?

Neither Istanbul nor DeckHunter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Istanbul or DeckHunter?

Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, and DeckHunter every 11 days. Most recently, Istanbul was updated on October 24, 2026 and DeckHunter on October 9, 2026.

---

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