Comparison

SwordArtOnline vs ESPIONAGE

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SwordArtOnline

Step into the world of Sword Art Online as the protagonist in this MMORPG. Team up with other players to conquer Aincrad, forge weapons, and experience an "what-if" story that diverges from the original anime.

Highlights
  • Become the protagonist
  • Cooperative MMORPG gameplay
  • Experience original SAO story from your POV
  • Forge weapons and use skills
  • Battle monsters and complete quests
  • Behind-the-scenes stories
Read full description

The newest Sword Art Online game! This time, the protagonist is...you! You appear in this online RPG as a member of an Assault Team, working with other imprisoned players to reach the 100th floor of Aincrad! What if you were trapped in a game of life or death? You can experience meeting familiar characters and connecting to the original SAO story from your own POV. Experience behind-the-scenes stories not seen in the original SAO, and completely different story developments! Live out a "what-if" story where you affect Aincrad! Battle System Fight through the sprawling fields of Aincrad with your partner Koharu, trapped together in a game of life and death! You'll need to cooperate with Assault Teams across the land and battle together to beat powerful monsters and tough quests! Forging stronger weapons, using skills with all kinds of effects, and preparing for each enemy's weak points and attack patterns are all key to your success! -Boost Mode is a monthly subscription that gives you the following boosts: -Important ・Boost Mode is valid for a month starting from the purchased date and will be automatically renewed each month. ・If cancelled during the validity period, you will continue receiving effect of the boosts until you log out after the expiration date. ・You cannot make duplicate purchases during the validity period. ・Please be aware that deleting the app does not cancel this subscription. -Payment, Duration, Renewal ・Payment of this subscription will be made through Apple ID. ・If cancellation is not made 24 hours prior to the expiration date, the subscription will be renewed automatically. ・The one-month subscription will be renewed automatically within 24 hours before the expiry date and monthly charges will occur at every renewal. -Cancellation ・This subscription must be canceled at least 24 hours prior to the expiration date. ・Cancellation may be completed through the following procedure. 1. Tap Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store 2. Tap "Apple ID"" at the top of the screen. 3. Tap "View Apple ID"" then ""Subscriptions" 4. Tap "Boost Mode" purchased on "SWORD ART ONLINE: Integral Factor" to see the purchase history. 5. Cancel subscription by tapping ""Cancel Subscription"" Other Precautions ・There is a possibility that connection problems may occur when purchasing, so please do not close the application while purchase is still processing. ・Terms of Service http://legal.bandainamcoent.co.jp/terms/ ・Privacy Policy http://legal.bandainamcoent.co.jp/privacy/ Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. Website: https://bandainamcoent.co.jp/english/ By downloading or installing this app, you agree to the Bandai Namco Entertainment Terms of Service. Terms of Service: https://legal.bandainamcoent.co.jp/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://legal.bandainamcoent.co.jp/privacy/ Note: This game contains some items available for in-app purchase that can enhance gameplay and speed up your progress. In-app purchases can be disabled in your device settings, see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304 for more details. This application is distributed under the official rights from the license holder.

About

ESPIONAGE

Engage in a thrilling social deduction game where players uncover hidden adversaries. This free-to-play experience supports cross-play and cross-progression, offering anonymous matches and frequent updates.

Highlights
  • 6-8 player matches
  • Cross-play between PC and mobile
  • Cross-progression
  • No pay-to-win
  • No ads
  • Anonymous modes
  • Achievements and rewards
Read full description

ESPIONAGE: Mafia Evolved is a free-to-play social deduction game for PC and mobile devices in which you attempt to find your adversaries hidden amongst the other players. This 6-8 player suspense experience features full cross-play along with full cross-progression! Join with friends or strangers and partake in anonymous matches and enjoy frequent updates across multiple languages. This game also contains no ads, no pay-to-win mechanics, and no limits on playtime! FEATURES - Supports 6-8 players - Full cross-play between PC and mobile - Full cross-progression - No pay-to-win mechanics - No ads and no limits on play - Anonymous modes - Achievements and in-game rewards - Multiple languages supported - Frequent updates

Screenshots

SwordArtOnline4 screens
ESPIONAGE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SwordArtOnline at 69% against ESPIONAGE's 0%. SwordArtOnline also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (12K vs 11). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SwordArtOnline sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and ESPIONAGE sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SwordArtOnline holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SwordArtOnline has 12K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of SwordArtOnline's written reviews are positive against 0% of ESPIONAGE's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SwordArtOnline ships an update fortnightly, ESPIONAGE weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and July 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SwordArtOnline versus ESPIONAGE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwordArtOnlineESPIONAGE
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (12K ratings) — better3.9 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews68.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12K — better11
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size387 MB733 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperBandai Namco Entertainment Inc.Another Time

Customer experience

SwordArtOnline

All ratings11,928 ratings
Positive84.7%
Neutral5.5%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews455 reviews
Positive68.6%
Neutral13.2%
Negative18.2%

ESPIONAGE

All ratings11 ratings
Positive63.6%
Neutral18.2%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

SwordArtOnline

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Bosses disappearing during battles
  • Characters getting stuck and becoming invisible
  • Inability to change servers or send messages to friends
  • Arcana gems not being properly credited
  • Constant update loop with no available updates

Requested features

7 requests
  • Controller support
  • Ability to change partner character's appearance
  • In-game trading system
  • Player-vs-player (PvP) mode
  • More diverse weapon and skill options
Show 2 more
  • Ability to replay story dialogues
  • Improved social features like guilds and chat

ESPIONAGE

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

SwordArtOnline

Subscriptions1
  • Boost Mode$8.991 Month
One-time9
  • Arcanagem A$0.99
  • Arcanagem B$3.99
  • 1H Sword Rookie's Pack$3.99
Show 6 more
  • Arcanagem C$7.99
  • Arcana Gem Pack$7.99
  • Arcanagem D$12.99
  • Arcanagem E$26.99
  • Arcanagem F$39.99
  • Arcanagem G$79.99
6 purchases

ESPIONAGE

One-time6
  • E-Coins (100)$0.99
  • E-Coins (200)$1.99
  • E-Coins (500+100 Bonus)$4.99
Show 3 more
  • Founder's Pack$7.99
  • E-Coins (1000+300 Bonus)$9.99
  • E-Coins (2000+800 Bonus)$19.99

Questions

Is SwordArtOnline free?
SwordArtOnline is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ESPIONAGE free?
ESPIONAGE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SwordArtOnline or ESPIONAGE?
SwordArtOnline is rated higher. SwordArtOnline averages 4.4 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while ESPIONAGE averages 3.9 from 11 ratings.
Do SwordArtOnline or ESPIONAGE have ads?
Neither SwordArtOnline nor ESPIONAGE shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SwordArtOnline or ESPIONAGE?
SwordArtOnline ships an update fortnightly, and ESPIONAGE weekly. Most recently, SwordArtOnline was updated on September 26, 2026 and ESPIONAGE on July 17, 2026.

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