# Pairmoji vs Balatro

The clearest difference is rating: Balatro at 5.0 against Pairmoji's 3.7. Balatro also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 23 months) and ratings volume (108K vs 3). Pairmoji's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $9.99) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Pairmoji costs $2.99 and Balatro $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Balatro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Balatro has 108K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Pairmoji's written reviews are positive against 81% of Balatro's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pairmoji ships an update every 23 months, Balatro every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pairmoji | Balatro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pairmoji/id1307326173/reviews) | **[5.0 (108K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balatro/id6502453075/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **108K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 81.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#2** |
| Size | 23 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Whisk Mobile Development Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/415115816) | [Playstack Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133080356) |

## What reviewers say

### Pairmoji

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pairmoji/id1307326173)

A fun take on the classic pair matching card game, featuring a vast selection of emojis. Enjoy single-player modes or local multiplayer for up to four people. Universal app for all Apple devices with a simple, one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Huge emoji selection, Single player modes (turn-based, timed), Local multiplayer (up to 4 players), Adjustable grid sizes, Universal app support, No ads or in-app purchases

**In-app purchases:** none


### Balatro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balatro/id6502453075)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Paid · Card, #3 Top Paid · Strategy, #6 Top Paid · Games, #9 Top Paid, #110 Top Grossing · Card, #147 Top Grossing · Strategy (US App Store)

This game blends poker and solitaire mechanics with unique rule-bending twists. Build powerful poker hands, discover game-changing Joker cards, and create exciting combos to defeat challenging Boss Blinds. Explore different decks and game modes for endless replayability.

**Highlights:** Poker and Solitaire hybrid gameplay, Rule-bending mechanics, Collect over 150 unique Joker cards, Create powerful combos, Campaign and challenge modes, Pixel art visuals

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Addictive gameplay
- 💎 Unique and compelling mechanics
- 👍 Easy to learn, hard to master
- 🎨 Charming pixel art and music
- 💰 Great value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and save issues
- 🔍 Small text and UI elements
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🔇 No background music support

**Reported bugs**

- Unlocks and achievements not registering properly
- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Joker and card interactions not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Cloud save sync across devices
- Portrait mode option
- Customizable UI and accessibility settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pairmoji free?

Pairmoji costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Balatro free?

Balatro costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pairmoji or Balatro?

Balatro is rated higher. Pairmoji averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Balatro averages 5.0 from 108K ratings.

### Do Pairmoji or Balatro have ads?

Neither Pairmoji nor Balatro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pairmoji or Balatro?

Pairmoji ships an update every 23 months, and Balatro every 8 days. Most recently, Pairmoji was updated on October 13, 2026 and Balatro on October 21, 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.*