# SwordArtOnline vs Aether Gazer

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | SwordArtOnline | Aether Gazer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swordartonline-integralfactor/id1347075404/reviews)** | [4.3 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-gazer/id6445892204/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | **68.8% of reviews** | 56.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 390 MB | 3.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/352305770) | [HONG KONG YONGSHI NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1798143269) |

## What reviewers say

### SwordArtOnline

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swordartonline-integralfactor/id1347075404)

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boost Mode | $8.99 | per month |
| Arcanagem A | $0.99 | one-time |
| Arcanagem B | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1H Sword Rookie's Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Arcanagem C | $7.99 | one-time |
| Arcana Gem Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Arcanagem D | $12.99 | one-time |
| Arcanagem E | $26.99 | one-time |
| Arcanagem F | $39.99 | one-time |
| Arcanagem G | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Controller support
- Ability to change partner character's appearance
- In-game trading system
- Player-vs-player (PvP) mode
- More diverse weapon and skill options


### Aether Gazer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-gazer/id6445892204)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60 Shifting Flowers | $0.99 | one-time |
| C-Obs | $4.99 | one-time |
| 490 Shifting Flowers | $7.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Contract | $9.99 | one-time |
| $14.99 Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| 990 Shifting Flowers | $14.99 | one-time |
| Outfit Voucher2 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Acumen Contract | $18.99 | one-time |
| 1990 Shifting Flowers | $29.99 | one-time |
| 2990 Shifting Flowers | $44.99 | one-time |
| 6000 Shifting Flowers | $89.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

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


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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