# GloomCipher vs Catgotchi

The clearest difference is rating: Catgotchi at 4.7 against GloomCipher's 4.0. Catgotchi also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 50%) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 4). GloomCipher's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Catgotchi sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GloomCipher asks for nothing beyond the download.

Catgotchi holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Catgotchi has 1.5K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of GloomCipher's written reviews are positive against 85% of Catgotchi's.

GloomCipher ships an update every 4 months, Catgotchi every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GloomCipher | Catgotchi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gloomcipher/id1450033934/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catgotchi-virtual-pet-cat/id1522044146/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **84.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 26 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lucas Assis Rodrigues](https://appshunter.io/developer/1357788324) | [Janusz Jankowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/789966888) |

## What reviewers say

### GloomCipher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gloomcipher/id1450033934)

This app provides a custom keyboard to translate unique glyphs into Latin letters. It's a simple tool for deciphering coded messages or exploring custom alphabets.

**Highlights:** Custom keyboard interface, Glyph to Latin letter translation, Decipher coded messages, Explore custom alphabets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Catgotchi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catgotchi-virtual-pet-cat/id1522044146)

Adopt and nurture a pixelated kitten in this retro-style simulation game. Feed, clean, and play with your virtual pet to help it grow and unlock new breeds and mini-games. Customize the game's appearance to your liking.

**Highlights:** Adopt and care for pixel kitties, Feed, clean, and play with pets, Unlock 12 adorable cat breeds, Play 3 mini-games per pet, Customize game colors, 90s retro style graphics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Cute and fun game
- 🎮 Nostalgic tamagotchi-like experience
- 👍 Simple and easy to play
- 🕰️ Convenient to play on mobile
- 🎨 Retro pixel art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Slow energy recovery
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💀 Cats can die
- 🔍 Limited character count for naming pets
- 📢 Excessive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Energy bar not increasing properly
- Buttons freezing during mini-games
- Pets getting stuck in certain states
- Crashes and app not launching for some users

**Requested features**

- Add ability to pet or interact with cats
- Introduce more pet types like dogs or other animals
- Implement a widget for quick pet status checks
- Add background music or sound effects
- Improve energy recovery and reduce pet death


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GloomCipher free?

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

### Is Catgotchi free?

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

### Which has better reviews, GloomCipher or Catgotchi?

Catgotchi is rated higher. GloomCipher averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Catgotchi averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do GloomCipher or Catgotchi have ads?

Catgotchi shows ads; GloomCipher does not.

### Which is updated more often, GloomCipher or Catgotchi?

GloomCipher ships an update every 4 months, and Catgotchi every 3 months. Most recently, GloomCipher was updated on October 9, 2026 and Catgotchi on October 19, 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.*