Comparison

4X vs Next Station

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

4X

Manage your board game collection, track plays, and discover what the community is playing. Find and organize game meetups, and connect with other players. Some advanced features require a premium subscription.

Highlights
  • Manage board game collections
  • Track game plays and statistics
  • Discover community gaming trends
  • Organize game meetups
  • Collaborative collection management
  • Barcode scanning for games
  • Random game suggestions
Features
Read full description

Do you enjoy playing with friends or family? Do you want to keep track of the multitude of board games and discover more than just "Uno" or "Ludo"? Or perhaps you already own a lot of games and finally want to structure your collection, have it with you everywhere, and share it with others? Then the 4X app is exactly what you need. 4X is more than a collection app: Manage your board games, track every play, discover live what the community is playing right now, and meet other players at events – all in one place. Your Collection - Search through our large game database - Manage one or more collections - Filter and sort using numerous features (number of players, mechanics, category, language, rating, and much more) - Manage a collection collaboratively with other users - Scan barcodes to find games quickly - Let the app randomly suggest a suitable game for you - Mark games as "watching" or "for trade", or create a wishlist* Your Plays - Track every play with players, scores, and winners - Plays are automatically shared with participating users - Keep an eye on your statistics: wins, playtime, most played games - Determine the starting player with fun mini-games* Community & Events - Discover in real-time what others are currently playing - Rate and comment on games, share your own photos - Find or organize game meetups in your area* - Import your collection & logged plays directly from BoardGameGeek* *Some features (including wishlist, event creation, starting player mini-games, and BGG import) are available with 4X Premium. You can find all features in detail on our website: https://4x-digital.com/feature.html Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4x_brettspiele/

About

Next Station

Design and build your own metro network in Paris. Connect famous landmarks, optimize routes, and compete with others to create the most efficient subway system. Experience strategic gameplay with various challenges and game modes.

Highlights
  • Design Paris metro network
  • Connect Parisian landmarks
  • Strategic route optimization
  • Multiple game modes
  • Community objectives
  • Player rankings and achievements
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Do you need individual training? Ask us! Next Station Paris - Build your metro network! Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Paris and become the architect of a breathtaking metro network! Imagine you are the mastermind behind the French capital's public transportation system, responsible for connecting the most famous sights and hidden corners. Next Station Paris gives you the unique opportunity to design, build and perfect your own metro network. Experience the fascinating world of the Flip&Write series “Next Station” and create the Paris metro network from scratch! Use your strategic skills to skillfully cross the bridges and reach the city's landmarks. Discover clever shortcuts on the central platforms to optimize your line. Immerse yourself in an exciting game experience where you completely redesign the Paris metro to score the most points at the end. Who will design the best subway? The following new challenges and game elements expand your gaming experience without losing the familiar Next Station gaming experience: * Parisian landmarks: Connect iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre on your network map. * Above-ground intersections: Cross your connections above ground and earn whopping bonus points for doing so * Central platform: Use the central hub cleverly to connect your routes efficiently and optimize your score. * Bonus cards of the peripheral districts: Discover the secrets of the periphery and use the bonus trains skillfully * New community objectives: 5 exciting objectives will present you with new challenges More than just a game:. * Master different challenges in the 3 different game modes and countless variations by combining the different elements. * Compare your skills with other players and climb the rankings of the best metro network planners in Paris. * Collect achievements and become the most legendary metro project manager of all time. * Let yourself be enchanted by the atmosphere of the city of Paris and build a metro network that will make history. Next Station - Paris is more than just a game - it's a journey through the fascinating world of urban planning, where you take control of Paris' transportation network and leave your mark on history, continuing the Next Station series in a worthy manner. Download the game now and start your adventure as the ultimate metro network planner!

Screenshots

4X4 screens
Next Station4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: 4X at Free against Next Station's $4.99. 4X also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 12 months). Next Station's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#147 vs unranked). On ads and device support 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

4X is free to download; Next Station costs $4.99 up front. 4X sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Next Station asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

4X ships an update every 11 days, Next Station every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
4X versus Next Station: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter4XNext Station
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#147 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB30 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developer4X-Digital GmbHBrettspielWelt

Customer experience

4X

Written reviews14 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative57.1%

Next Station

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

4X

One-time1
  • 4X Premium Status$14.99
None

Next Station

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 4X free?
4X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Next Station free?
Next Station costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do 4X or Next Station have ads?
Neither 4X nor Next Station shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 4X or Next Station?
4X ships an update every 11 days, and Next Station every 12 months. Most recently, 4X was updated on September 16, 2026 and Next Station on September 23, 2026.

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