# Dominion vs Dawncaster

The clearest difference is price: Dominion at Free against Dawncaster's $4.99. Dominion also leads on ratings volume (5K vs 929) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Dawncaster's advantage is chart position (#8 vs unranked) and review sentiment (80% vs 68%). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Dominion is free to download; Dawncaster costs $4.99 up front. Dominion sells 17 one-off in-app purchases and Dawncaster sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dominion holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dominion has 5K ratings behind it against 929, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Dominion's written reviews are positive against 80% of Dawncaster's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dominion ships an update every 5 days, Dawncaster every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dominion | Dawncaster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dominion/id1476461085/reviews)** | [4.7 (929 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dawncaster-deckbuilding-rpg/id1555459868/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5K** | 929 |
| Positive reviews | 68.5% of reviews | **80.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#8** |
| Size | 423 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Temple Gates Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190675051) | [Rick van der Wal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534294329) |

## What reviewers say

### Dominion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dominion/id1476461085)

Build a powerful deck to expand your kingdom and earn victory points in this acclaimed deck-building strategy game. Explore vast card combinations, compete against AI or other players online, and enjoy endless replayability with numerous expansions.

**Highlights:** Deck-building mechanics, Kingdom expansion, AI opponent, Online multiplayer, Daily puzzles, Cross-platform play, Expansion packs

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Alchemy | $4.99 | one-time |
| Intrigue | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cornucopia | $4.99 | one-time |
| Guilds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Seaside | $9.99 | one-time |
| Renaissance | $9.99 | one-time |
| Menagerie | $9.99 | one-time |
| Prosperity | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dark Ages | $9.99 | one-time |
| Adventures | $9.99 | one-time |
| Empires | $9.99 | one-time |
| Plunder | $9.99 | one-time |
| Nocturne | $9.99 | one-time |
| Rising Sun | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hinterlands | $9.99 | one-time |
| Launch Bundle | $99.99 | one-time |
| Expansion Bundle | $109.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎮 Faithful adaptation of the board game
- 👍 Challenging AI opponents
- 🎨 Great visual design and animations
- 📱 Convenient mobile experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (e.g. crashes, card interactions not working as expected)
- 🤖 Inconsistent or overpowered AI behavior
- 💰 Expensive expansion packs
- 🕰️ Slow animation speed for AI turns
- 🔀 Lack of customization options (e.g. disabling certain cards, saving game setups)

**Reported bugs**

- Possession card not working correctly
- Victory points not displayed properly
- Inability to rejoin games after server disconnects

**Requested features**

- Ability to select specific card sets for randomized games
- Option to complete games against AI when opponents forfeit
- More detailed game statistics and player history tracking
- Improved matchmaking filters for online play
- Shareable in-app purchases for family members


### Dawncaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dawncaster-deckbuilding-rpg/id1555459868)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Paid · Card, #11 Top Paid · Role Playing, #99 Top Paid · Games, #167 Top Paid (US App Store)

Embark on a tactical deck-building adventure with over 900 illustrated cards. Explore a mysterious world, master unique class abilities, and forge your own path through a rich narrative. Enjoy a complete premium experience with no ads or microtransactions.

**Highlights:** Over 900 hand-illustrated cards, Unique class abilities, Innovative energy system, Richly illustrated world, Randomized encounters, Unlockable content

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vaul of the Void Promo Pack | Free | one-time |
| Synthesis Support Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Infinitum Support Banner | $3.99 | one-time |
| Eclypse Supporter Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Buy the devs a coffee | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tribes of Twilight | $4.99 | one-time |
| Death of Divinity | $4.99 | one-time |
| Masks of Misery | $4.99 | one-time |
| Siege of Shadows | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dawncaster Origins Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Nexus of Nightmares | $5.99 | one-time |
| Infernal Invasions | $5.99 | one-time |
| Dawncaster Mega Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Constant updates
- 🔥 Addictive gameplay loop
- 🔍 Discovering new secrets
- 💎 Excellent value for money
- 🎨 Beautiful art and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Steep learning curve
- 🔁 Repetitive enemy and boss encounters
- 🕰️ Slow progression and unlock system
- 🔧 Unbalanced difficulty spikes

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after certain card interactions
- Incorrect card behavior or descriptions
- Progression loss after updates
- Compatibility issues on newer devices

**Requested features**

- Endless or challenge mode
- More language support (e.g. Chinese, Spanish, Russian)
- Improved tutorial and onboarding
- Ability to toggle DLC content on/off
- Checkpoints or save states during runs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dominion free?

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

### Is Dawncaster free?

Dawncaster costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dominion or Dawncaster?

Dominion is rated higher. Dominion averages 4.9 out of 5 from 5K ratings, while Dawncaster averages 4.7 from 929 ratings.

### Do Dominion or Dawncaster have ads?

Neither Dominion nor Dawncaster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dominion or Dawncaster?

Dominion ships an update every 5 days, and Dawncaster every 10 days. Most recently, Dominion was updated on October 26, 2026 and Dawncaster on October 27, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*