# Backbone vs builds.gg

The clearest difference is rating: Backbone at 4.8 against builds.gg's 3.2. Backbone also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (102K vs 5). builds.gg's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 16) and review sentiment (67% vs 51%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backbone sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. builds.gg asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backbone holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backbone has 102K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Backbone's written reviews are positive against 67% of builds.gg's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Backbone ships an update every 3 weeks, builds.gg every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backbone | builds.gg |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (102K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backbone-next-level-play/id1449660663/reviews)** | [3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buildsgg/id1493932555/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **102K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 51.1% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#64** | — |
| Size | 422 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Backbone Labs, Inc. (US)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449660662) | [Trekade Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493932554) |

## What reviewers say

### Backbone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backbone-next-level-play/id1449660663)

**Currently charting:** #64 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #122 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a powerful gaming console. Play a wide range of games and services, record and share epic gameplay moments, and connect with friends for seamless multiplayer experiences. Discover and launch your favorite controller-supported games from a single app.

**Highlights:** Play any game or service supporting controllers, Record, edit, and share gameplay clips, Automatic highlight detection, Friend notifications and in-app voice chat, Centralized game launcher

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Backbone+ | $3.99 | per month |
| Backbone+ | $3.99 | per month |
| Backbone+ | $7.99 | per month |
| Backbone+ | $29.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $29.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ 4 | $39.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $49.99 | per year |
| Backbone+ | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great gaming experience
- 👍 Seamless integration with app
- 🎮 Feels like a dedicated gaming device
- 💡 Turns phone into a portable console
- 🎨 Sleek and premium design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🔌 Requires removing phone case
- 🎮 Ergonomics not ideal for all games
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Random disconnections during gameplay
- App crashes and freezes
- Issues with controller button mapping
- Incompatibility with certain games

**Requested features**

- Allow use without subscription
- Add more customization options
- Improve compatibility with various phone models
- Integrate with more cloud gaming services


### builds.gg

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buildsgg/id1493932555)

Connect with a global community of PC enthusiasts to showcase your custom builds, create detailed build logs, and find inspiration. Discover new ideas by searching for specific hardware or themes, and participate in contests for prizes.

**Highlights:** Showcase PC builds, Create build logs, Extensive hardware database, Advanced search for inspiration, Follow favorite builds and builders, Contests and prizes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backbone free?

Backbone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is builds.gg free?

builds.gg is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Backbone or builds.gg?

Backbone is rated higher. Backbone averages 4.8 out of 5 from 102K ratings, while builds.gg averages 3.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Backbone or builds.gg have ads?

Neither Backbone nor builds.gg shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backbone or builds.gg?

Backbone ships an update every 3 weeks, and builds.gg every 5 months. Most recently, Backbone was updated on October 24, 2026 and builds.gg on October 16, 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.*