# Smiling vs Salvage Protocol

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Salvage Protocol at none against Smiling's 5. Salvage Protocol also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smiling sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Salvage Protocol asks for nothing beyond the download.

Smiling ships an update every 2 months, Salvage Protocol monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smiling | Salvage Protocol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smiling-x-horror-game/id1491791984/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 368 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [IndieFist SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458549407) | [Seonggon Sim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565259950) |

## What reviewers say

### Smiling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smiling-x-horror-game/id1491791984)

Trapped in a haunted office, you must solve puzzles, craft weapons, and evade sinister co-workers and a watchful boss to escape. Uncover dark secrets and survive terrifying encounters in this suspenseful horror adventure.

**Highlights:** Solve puzzles and unravel mystery, Craft weapons and outsmart boss, Encounter scary characters, Two thrilling game modes, Offline horror experience

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Figure of Erich Sann | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hunter figure collectible | $0.99 | one-time |
| Joker Skin | $1.99 | one-time |
| Robot Cleaner | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent gameplay
- 🕹️ Fun and engaging
- 🔍 Interesting story and puzzles
- 🎨 Great graphics and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Difficult to progress at times
- 🕰️ Freezing and performance issues
- 🔇 Lack of audio/sound fixes

**Reported bugs**

- Joker skin cannot be turned off
- Super weapon disappears from office
- Dark freezes player during jumpscare
- Cleaner bot minigame screen cuts to black

**Requested features**

- Bring back removed missions
- Improve boss encounter mechanics
- Add more hiding spots and escape routes
- Fix issues with the Hari's parents mission


### Salvage Protocol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/salvage-protocol/id6787807172)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smiling free?

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

### Is Salvage Protocol free?

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

### Do Smiling or Salvage Protocol have ads?

Smiling shows ads; Salvage Protocol does not.

### Which is updated more often, Smiling or Salvage Protocol?

Smiling ships an update every 2 months, and Salvage Protocol monthly. Most recently, Smiling was updated on November 7, 2026 and Salvage Protocol on November 11, 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.*