# MicroWars vs Mates

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mates at 100% against MicroWars's 34%. Mates also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). MicroWars's advantage is ratings volume (10K vs 16). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Mates holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MicroWars has 10K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of MicroWars's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mates's.

MicroWars ships an update every 2 months, Mates every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MicroWars | Mates |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microwars/id1471317275/reviews) | **[5.0 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mates-drawn-together/id6760635540/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 34.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 94 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Benoit Freslon](https://appshunter.io/developer/428781119) | [Jordan Naftolin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1009155128) |

## What reviewers say

### MicroWars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microwars/id1471317275)

Engage in strategic microscopic battles where you command cells to conquer opponents. Collect resources, upgrade your units, and devise invasion plans to capture enemy bases and expand your territory. Outwit your rivals by building defenses and launching timely offensives.

**Highlights:** Microscopic battleground gameplay, Command and conquer cells, Resource collection and upgrades, Strategic invasion planning, Defensive and offensive tactics, Board-based conquest

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 💡 Customizable characters
- 🚀 Quick game sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Repetitive levels
- 🔋 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 💰 Paid features don't work as expected

**Reported bugs**

- Game resets progress on restart
- Impossible level 40 and 130
- Ads play over gameplay

**Requested features**

- More challenging AI opponents
- Ability to reinforce controlled cells
- Disable timer option
- More unique levels and characters
- Improved memory mini-game


### Mates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mates-drawn-together/id6760635540)

Draw paths to connect matching creatures and score points. Avoid collisions between different colors to keep the game going. This vibrant puzzle game offers simple controls and challenging gameplay for quick sessions or extended play.

**Highlights:** Draw paths to connect matching creatures, Avoid collisions between different colors, Simple, intuitive drag-and-draw controls, Challenging time and space management, Vibrant, minimalist visuals, Suitable for all ages

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MicroWars free?

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

### Is Mates free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MicroWars or Mates?

Mates is rated higher. MicroWars averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Mates averages 5.0 from 16 ratings.

### Do MicroWars or Mates have ads?

Both MicroWars and Mates show ads.

### Which is updated more often, MicroWars or Mates?

MicroWars ships an update every 2 months, and Mates every 9 days. Most recently, MicroWars was updated on October 30, 2026 and Mates on October 24, 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.*