# Hell and Back vs XLarn

The clearest difference is review sentiment: XLarn at 100% against Hell and Back's 25%. XLarn also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Hell and Back's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99).

Hell and Back is free to download; XLarn costs $3.99 up front. Hell and Back sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. XLarn asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hell and Back ships an update every 7 months, XLarn every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hell and Back | XLarn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hell-and-back/id1474841566/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 45 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Brandon Stecklein](https://appshunter.io/developer/498894252) | [David-Christian Felix Weibke](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725809199) |

## What reviewers say

### Hell and Back

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hell-and-back/id1474841566)

Embark on a sci-fi roguelike RPG adventure to close a portal to hell on Mars. Fight, loot, and upgrade your gear in turn-based combat, recruiting mercenaries and making critical decisions to survive.

**Highlights:** Procedural and handcrafted levels, Weapon and armor upgrades, Mercenary recruitment, Challenging quests and bosses, Deep RPG progression, Turn-based combat

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Ape Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hell and Back Full Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |


### XLarn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xlarn/id6476099287)

Embark on a perilous quest into Demonic Temples to find a life-saving elixir for your daughter. Navigate randomized caves, develop your skills, and utilize village resources to overcome monsters and reach your goal.

**Highlights:** Deep dungeon exploration, Skill development, Village resource management, Randomized caves, Prebuilt cave levels, 99 difficulty levels

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hell and Back free?

Hell and Back is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is XLarn free?

XLarn costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Hell and Back or XLarn have ads?

Hell and Back shows ads; XLarn does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hell and Back or XLarn?

Hell and Back ships an update every 7 months, and XLarn every 3 weeks. Most recently, Hell and Back was updated on October 1, 2026 and XLarn on September 23, 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.*