# Istanbul vs ShellMate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShellMate at none against Istanbul's 1. ShellMate also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Istanbul's advantage is ratings volume (458 vs 1) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Istanbul costs $2.79 and ShellMate $3.99 up front. Istanbul sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ShellMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ShellMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Istanbul has 458 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, ShellMate every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Istanbul | ShellMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.79** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (458 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istanbul-digital-edition/id1296756606/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellmate/id6787692769/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **458** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#80** | — |
| Size | 451 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Acram Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536417257) | [Marco Janssen](https://appshunter.io/developer/787863348) |

## What reviewers say

### Istanbul

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

**Currently charting:** #80 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


### ShellMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellmate/id6787692769)

A fast and playful scoring companion for card games. Easily track player scores, round progress, and manage end-of-round decisions. Supports various scoring elements for a smooth gameplay experience.

**Highlights:** Score tracking for 2-4 players, Running totals and round progress, Support for Stop and Last Chance endings, Base game and expansion scoring, Saved player names, Privacy-friendly design

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Istanbul free?

Istanbul costs $2.79, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is ShellMate free?

ShellMate costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Istanbul or ShellMate?

ShellMate is rated higher. Istanbul averages 4.7 out of 5 from 458 ratings, while ShellMate averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Istanbul or ShellMate have ads?

Neither Istanbul nor ShellMate shows ads.

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

Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, and ShellMate every 3 months. Most recently, Istanbul was updated on October 29, 2026 and ShellMate on October 25, 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.*