# SpellForce vs DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

The clearest difference is price: SpellForce at $0.99 against DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS's $27.99. SpellForce also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (66% vs 36%). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

SpellForce costs $0.99 and DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS $27.99 up front. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. SpellForce asks for nothing beyond the download.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS has 164 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of SpellForce's written reviews are positive against 66% of DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS's.

SpellForce ships an update every 9 days, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpellForce | DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $27.99 |
| Rating | [3.9 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellforce-heroes-and-magic/id1451708258/reviews) | **[4.5 (164 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-quest-builders/id1601194499/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **164** |
| Positive reviews | 36.1% of reviews | **65.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 447 MB | 639 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [THQ Nordic Mobile GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316574911) | [SQUARE ENIX](https://appshunter.io/developer/300186801) |

## What reviewers say

### SpellForce

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spellforce-heroes-and-magic/id1451708258)

Build and lead your fantasy empire in this turn-based strategy game. Explore new lands, battle enemies with unique units, and evolve your heroes and soldiers with RPG mechanics. Enjoy a full fantasy saga with no microtransactions or ads.

**Highlights:** Turn-based strategy and tactics, Fantasy empire building, Hero and unit progression, Simultaneous turn-based combat, 3 playable races, Over 30 different units

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-quest-builders/id1601194499)

Embark on an epic adventure in a block-based world to defeat the Dragonlord. Gather resources, craft items, and build anything from simple structures to entire towns to restore the realm. Engage in action-packed combat against familiar monsters and share your creations with friends.

**Highlights:** Explore a vast block world, Gather and craft items, Build structures and towns, Battle monsters, Specialized mobile controls, Share creations with friends

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New Content! Magic Carpet | $2.99 | one-time |
| New Content! Astronomy Set | $2.99 | one-time |
| Boss Monster Model Set | $2.99 | one-time |
| New Content! Pixel Ring | $2.99 | one-time |
| All-in-One Pack | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great port quality
- 👍 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Good story and RPG elements
- 👍 Intuitive touch controls (for some)
- 👍 Well-optimized for mobile

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎮 No controller support
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔥 Device overheating
- 🕹️ Clunky/unplayable touch controls (for many)
- 📱 UI offset on larger iPads

**Reported bugs**

- Controller support partially implemented (left stick only)
- Game freezes/crashes
- Challenges not reflecting completion
- Camera zooms unexpectedly in caves
- NPCs behaving erratically (walking on walls, jumping)

**Requested features**

- Add controller support
- Add cloud save sync
- Allow UI customization (button placement, size)
- Add option for free-form joystick
- Improve optimization for better battery life and performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpellForce free?

SpellForce costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS free?

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS costs $27.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SpellForce or DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS?

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS is rated higher. SpellForce averages 3.9 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS averages 4.5 from 164 ratings.

### Do SpellForce or DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS have ads?

Neither SpellForce nor DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpellForce or DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS?

SpellForce ships an update every 9 days, and DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS fortnightly. Most recently, SpellForce was updated on November 1, 2026 and DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS on October 31, 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.*