Comparison

SwordArtOnline vs Aether Gazer

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

Aether Gazer

Engage in fast-paced combat within a sci-fi anime world where humanity's consciousness resides in an AI orbiting Earth. Battle viruses threatening this digital paradise by customizing characters, building combos, and strategically forming squads to save humanity's future.

Highlights
  • Fast-paced action combat
  • Character skill customization
  • Squad building and combos
  • Explore a dystopian world
  • Premium character design
  • Immersive soundtrack
Features
Read full description

In the future, constant war has eroded the livability of Earth, forcing humanity to escape by uploading their consciousnesses to Gaea, an AI orbiting the Earth. Human consciousness is divided into ten sephirah zones, each with its own unique culture and beliefs, that are all working together towards building the perfect civilization called Idealbild. However, underneath the surface and in the Source Layer, evil computer viruses called Visbanes lurk, bent on destroying humanity’s promised paradise. Use your knowledge of each character’s skillset during battle, use power-ups to build combos and customize your squad to unleash the power of Modifiers to save consciousness and reach the promised future of Idealbild. · Action-Packed Combat Requiring Fast-Paced Decision Making · Explore a Dystopia Filled with Lore and Loot · Customize Your Character's Skills and Seamlessly Change Your Fighting Style · Mix and Match Your Squad for Exciting Chained Combos and Stunning Performances · Premium Quality Character Design with Advanced NPR Rendering Technology · Immersive Soundtrack and Unique Voiceover for Every Character Aether Gazer Official Homepage: https://www.aethergazer.com/ Official Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/aethergazerEN Official Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/aethergazerofficial/ Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AetherGazerOfficial/

Screenshots

SwordArtOnline4 screens
Aether Gazer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: SwordArtOnline at none against Aether Gazer's shown. SwordArtOnline also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (69% vs 57%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Aether Gazer sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SwordArtOnline against 4.3 for Aether Gazer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SwordArtOnline has 12K ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of SwordArtOnline's written reviews are positive against 57% of Aether Gazer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SwordArtOnline ships an update fortnightly, Aether Gazer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SwordArtOnline versus Aether Gazer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwordArtOnlineAether Gazer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (12K ratings) — better4.3 (1.3K ratings)
Positive reviews68.8% of reviews — better56.6% of reviews
Number of ratings12K — better1.3K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size390 MB3.9 GB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBandai Namco Entertainment Inc.HONG KONG YONGSHI NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED

Customer experience

SwordArtOnline

All ratings11,928 ratings
Positive84.8%
Neutral5.4%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews459 reviews
Positive68.8%
Neutral13.1%
Negative18.1%

Aether Gazer

All ratings1,263 ratings
Positive82.7%
Neutral4.5%
Negative12.8%
Written reviews343 reviews
Positive56.6%
Neutral13.4%
Negative30.0%

User reviews

SwordArtOnline

From 12K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent graphics and visuals
  • 👍 Engaging storyline and characters
  • 🎮 Smooth and responsive gameplay
  • 📱 Great mobile experience
  • 🎨 Customizable character creation

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔁 Repetitive and grindy gameplay
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🕰️ Slow progression and level grinding
  • 🔇 Audio issues and sound cutting out

Aether Gazer

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Generous free-to-play model
  • 🎨 Beautiful character designs
  • 🎮 Engaging combat mechanics
  • 💎 Rewarding gacha system

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔌 Performance issues on some devices
  • 🕹️ Lack of controller support
  • 📚 Confusing tutorial and UI
  • 🌐 Lack of Chinese language support

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

Aether Gazer

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Game crashes during boss fights
  • Inability to progress past certain story missions
  • Graphical glitches and visual bugs
  • Login and connection issues
  • Gacha and purchase-related bugs

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Chinese language support
  • Improve controller compatibility
  • Enhance tutorial and onboarding
  • Optimize performance for older devices
  • Introduce more endgame content

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
11 purchases

Aether Gazer

One-time11
  • 60 Shifting Flowers$0.99
  • C-Obs$4.99
  • 490 Shifting Flowers$7.99
Show 8 more
  • Advanced Contract$9.99
  • $14.99 Pack$14.99
  • 990 Shifting Flowers$14.99
  • Outfit Voucher2$14.99
  • Acumen Contract$18.99
  • 1990 Shifting Flowers$29.99
  • 2990 Shifting Flowers$44.99
  • 6000 Shifting Flowers$89.99

Questions

Is SwordArtOnline free?
SwordArtOnline is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aether Gazer free?
Aether Gazer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SwordArtOnline or Aether Gazer?
SwordArtOnline is rated higher. SwordArtOnline averages 4.4 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Aether Gazer averages 4.3 from 1.3K ratings.
Do SwordArtOnline or Aether Gazer have ads?
Aether Gazer shows ads; SwordArtOnline does not.
Which is updated more often, SwordArtOnline or Aether Gazer?
SwordArtOnline ships an update fortnightly, and Aether Gazer every 4 months. Most recently, SwordArtOnline was updated on October 22, 2026 and Aether Gazer on October 20, 2026.

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