# Forge Ahead vs Sword Maker

The clearest difference is ads: Sword Maker at none against Forge Ahead's shown. Sword Maker also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). Forge Ahead's advantage is review sentiment (41% vs 13%) and ratings volume (85K vs 17K). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forge Ahead sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Sword Maker sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Forge Ahead holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forge Ahead has 85K ratings behind it against 17K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Forge Ahead's written reviews are positive against 13% of Sword Maker's.

Forge Ahead ships an update monthly, Sword Maker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Forge Ahead | Sword Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (85K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forge-ahead-be-a-blacksmith/id1485491919/reviews)** | [4.4 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sword-maker/id1502398671/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **85K** | 17K |
| Positive reviews | **41.1% of reviews** | 13.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 254 MB | 219 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lion Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1362220666) | [Playgendary Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1487320337) |

## What reviewers say

### Forge Ahead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forge-ahead-be-a-blacksmith/id1485491919)

Mine exotic metals and precious gems, then hammer them into beautifully crafted swords. Run your own armory to display your creations and earn money to unlock even better materials and designs. Enjoy addictive gameplay that lets you earn even when offline.

**Highlights:** Mine exotic metals and gems, Hammer molten metal into swords, Run your own armory, Unlock new materials and designs, Earn money offline, Addictive tap-based mechanics

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tier 1 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Upgrade Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tier 2 Coins | $6.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Tier 3 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Satisfying forging process
- 🚀 Casual time-killer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of clarity on ore values
- 🔍 Repetitive and limited gameplay
- 💸 Excessive ads and monetization
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to store/save forged swords
- Customers not appearing consistently

**Requested features**

- More ore/material variety and selection
- Additional weapon types beyond swords
- Ability to discard unwanted ores
- More detailed progression and upgrades
- Improved customer/quest system


### Sword Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sword-maker/id1502398671)

Design and craft unique swords of various shapes and sizes. Experience realistic grinding mechanics on your mobile device. Unlock new possibilities and enhance your creations.

**Highlights:** Craft swords of all shapes and sizes, Realistic grinding experience, Doubles cash reward (premium), Removes all ads (premium), Provides 1 free daily chest (premium)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |

**What reviewers like**

- 🙂 Fun game concept
- 👍 Decent gameplay
- 💡 Customization options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Choppy controls
- 🤔 Lack of challenge

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes frequently
- Deleted player progress

**Requested features**

- More sword designs
- Ability to make mistakes
- Reduce ads or add paid option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Forge Ahead free?

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

### Is Sword Maker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Forge Ahead or Sword Maker?

Forge Ahead is rated higher. Forge Ahead averages 4.6 out of 5 from 85K ratings, while Sword Maker averages 4.4 from 17K ratings.

### Do Forge Ahead or Sword Maker have ads?

Forge Ahead shows ads; Sword Maker does not.

### Which is updated more often, Forge Ahead or Sword Maker?

Forge Ahead ships an update monthly, and Sword Maker every 2 weeks. Most recently, Forge Ahead was updated on October 3, 2026 and Sword Maker on October 2, 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.*