# Elroi vs EF Defense

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Elroi at 82% against EF Defense's 34%. Elroi also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (917 vs 57). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elroi sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and EF Defense sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Elroi holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elroi has 917 ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Elroi's written reviews are positive against 34% of EF Defense's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elroi | EF Defense |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (917 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elroi-defense-war/id1530504649/reviews)** | [4.3 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ef-defense/id1605733721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **917** | 57 |
| Positive reviews | **82.2% of reviews** | 34.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 200 MB | 237 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ekgames](https://appshunter.io/developer/882668968) | [MANA GAME FACTORY PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605733723) |

## What reviewers say

### Elroi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elroi-defense-war/id1530504649)

Embark on an adventurous expedition to conquer a new continent through strategic tower defense battles. Foster characters, collect powerful artifacts, and overcome enormous bosses across over 500 stages. Enjoy simple controls and character growth perfect for casual play.

**Highlights:** Over 500 stages across various territories, Enormous boss battles, Collect hidden artifacts with powerful effects, Over 200 unique characters, Easy controls and character growth, Occupation, defense, time attack modes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ELROI Package 101 | $2.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 405 | $2.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 301C | $2.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 602 | $5.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 406 | $8.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 601 | $8.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 1001C | $9.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 603 | $11.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 1202C | $11.99 | one-time |
| ELROI Package 1003 | $26.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive controls
- 💎 Generous free-to-play model
- 🎨 Unique and appealing character designs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of detailed character information
- 🕰️ Repetitive grind for progression
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔋 Excessive reliance on ads

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes and login issues
- Inconsistent performance on some devices
- Bugs with certain hero abilities and relics

**Requested features**

- Add PVP mode for player-vs-player battles
- Implement a skip/auto-clear function for repeated stages
- Improve sorting and filtering options for heroes
- Provide more detailed tooltips and explanations


### EF Defense

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ef-defense/id1605733721)

Defend the continent of Akaros by rallying unique heroes and powerful protectors. Engage in diverse combat styles beyond traditional defense, including conquest and arena battles, against a variety of challenging enemies.

**Highlights:** Unique heroes from various tribes, Diverse battlefields with specialized traps, Powerful Protectors with game-changing skills, Multiple combat modes: Frontier, Arena, Grand Arena, Tower of Trials, Variety of unique enemy types and attack patterns

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EF Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 5 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 5 | $9.99 | one-time |
| EF Pack 7 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Defense Pack 9 | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elroi free?

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

### Is EF Defense free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Elroi or EF Defense?

Elroi is rated higher. Elroi averages 4.8 out of 5 from 917 ratings, while EF Defense averages 4.3 from 57 ratings.

### Do Elroi or EF Defense have ads?

Both Elroi and EF Defense show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elroi or EF Defense?

Elroi ships an update every 3 weeks, and EF Defense every 3 weeks. Most recently, Elroi was updated on November 3, 2026 and EF Defense on November 3, 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.*