Comparison

Dawncaster vs Monster Train

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dawncaster

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
Read full description

Dawncaster: Epic Deck-Building Adventure Dive into a world of strategy and magic in Dawncaster, the ultimate deck-building experience with over 900 stunning hand-illustrated cards. Will you become a shadow-dancing rogue, an indomitable warrior, a mysterious Seeker, or forge your own path? Unravel the dark secrets of Aethos in this tactical masterpiece that revolutionizes mobile card gaming. Redefining Card Games - Experience groundbreaking mechanics that seasoned players will love - Blend unique class abilities with powerful weapons and enchantments - Master an innovative energy system, freeing you from traditional deckbuilder constraints A World Shrouded in Mystery - Embark on a quest to find the legendary 'Dawnbringer' lost in the corrupted realm of Umbris - Immerse yourself in a richly illustrated world with compelling dialogue and meaningful choices - Shape the fate of a desperate world through your actions Complete Gaming Experience - Unlock all cards and classes with your purchase - no microtransactions! - Open up new exciting area's with optional expansion packs for even more content - Enjoy a premium game free from ads, timers, or pay-to-win mechanics Endless Replayability - Every run is unique with randomized encounters and battles - Unlock new starting cards, portraits, and challenges - Test your skills with increasing difficulty levels Join the Dawncaster Community - Connect with fellow players and developers on the Discord server - Share strategies, get the latest updates, and influence the game's future - Be part of a passionate community that's shaping the future of Dawncaster Ready to answer the call? Download Dawncaster now and begin your legendary journey! Discord: https://discord.gg/pfeMG9c Website: https://dawncaster.wanderlost.games

About

Monster Train

Defend the last burning pyre from Heaven's forces in this strategic deckbuilding roguelike. Build unique decks with over 250 cards from five distinct monster clans, upgrade champions, and explore powerful locations to restore the Inferno. Enjoy ultimate replayability with daily and custom challenges.

Highlights
  • Unlock over 250 cards
  • 5 distinct Monster Clans
  • Upgrade powerful Champions
  • Explore powerful locations
  • Daily & Custom challenges
  • Includes Wild Mutations & Friends & Foes updates
Features
Read full description

Hell has frozen over. Only you can protect the final burning pyre from the forces of Heaven and restore the Inferno. Monster Train brings a new strategic layer to Roguelite Deck Building, with three vertical playing fields to defend. Features: * Unlock over 250 cards * Discover 5 Monster Clans, each with their own distinct gameplay * Each clan has 10 levels to unlock, bringing new cards to your deck * Upgrade your powerful Champions multiple times * Challenge your friends to beat your score * Includes the released updates Wild Mutations and Friends & Foes! Ultimate Replayability No playthrough is ever the same, it’s a fresh challenge every time. You’ll really never play the same deck twice! Perfect entertainment for your mobile device! Explore powerful locations To take back hell, you’ll need to power up. Choose your route carefully, different locations yield different benefits; upgrade your Champion, recruit powerful units, upgrade cards, gain passive bonuses or duplicate any card in your deck. Strategize to fit your playstyle With five clans to choose from, each has its own unique and surprising gameplay. Pick your primary and supporting clan to gain access to all cards from both. Build your deck and perfect your strategy to defeat your enemies! Daily & Custom challenges Take on a new challenge every day with a hugely modified run due to gameplay mutators or play with your own selection of buffs and nerfs to tailor to your playstyle! Compete globally and against friends, and climb the leaderboards with a skill-focused scoring system. The Last Divinity DLC Epic new content expansion for Monster Train bringing new challenges, more replayability, and a new clan! * A new clan, the Wurmkin *Note: the Wurmkin clan unlocks upon completing Covenant level 1.* * Pact Shards; the new currency bringing benefits at a cost * New endboss: The Last Divinity Available for purchase in-game!

Screenshots

Dawncaster4 screens
Monster Train4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Monster Train at 4.9 against Dawncaster's 4.7. Monster Train also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 80%). Dawncaster's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $7.99). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Dawncaster costs $4.99 and Monster Train $7.99 up front. Dawncaster sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Monster Train sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Monster Train holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 929 and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Dawncaster's written reviews are positive against 89% of Monster Train's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dawncaster ships an update every 10 days, Monster Train every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Dawncaster versus Monster Train: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDawncasterMonster Train
Price$4.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.7 (929 ratings)4.9 (1.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.2% of reviews88.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9291.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#10 — better#16
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.4 GB533 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperRick van der WalGood Shepherd Entertainment

Customer experience

Dawncaster

All ratings924 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral3.1%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews459 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral7.4%
Negative12.4%

Monster Train

All ratings1,812 ratings
Positive98.3%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews358 reviews
Positive88.8%
Neutral5.9%
Negative5.3%

User reviews

Dawncaster

From 929 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Monster Train

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Outstanding soundtrack
  • 🚀 Lots of discovery and relatability
  • 👍 Great deck builder with deep mechanics
  • 👍 Excellent value for money
  • 👍 Addictive and replayable gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional issues with cloud saves and device switching
  • 🐛 Difficulty targeting off-screen bosses on mobile
  • 🐛 Finicky card selection and play controls
  • 🔋 Can drain phone battery quickly

Bugs and requests

Dawncaster

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Monster Train

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Cloud save issues causing lost progress
  • Inability to target off-screen bosses
  • Occasional crashes and performance issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to view deck during card selection
  • Customizable UI and graphics options
  • Swipe gestures for floor switching
  • 60fps support

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Dawncaster

One-time13
  • Vaul of the Void Promo PackFree
  • Synthesis Support Pack$3.99
  • Infinitum Support Banner$3.99
Show 10 more
  • Eclypse Supporter Pack$3.99
  • Buy the devs a coffee$4.99
  • Tribes of Twilight$4.99
  • Death of Divinity$4.99
  • Masks of Misery$4.99
  • Siege of Shadows$4.99
  • Dawncaster Origins Bundle$4.99
  • Nexus of Nightmares$5.99
  • Infernal Invasions$5.99
  • Dawncaster Mega Bundle$12.99
1 purchases

Monster Train

One-time1
  • The Last Divinity DLC$3.99

Questions

Is Dawncaster free?
Dawncaster costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Monster Train free?
Monster Train costs $7.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Dawncaster or Monster Train?
Monster Train is rated higher. Dawncaster averages 4.7 out of 5 from 929 ratings, while Monster Train averages 4.9 from 1.8K ratings.
Do Dawncaster or Monster Train have ads?
Neither Dawncaster nor Monster Train shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dawncaster or Monster Train?
Dawncaster ships an update every 10 days, and Monster Train every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dawncaster was updated on October 25, 2026 and Monster Train on October 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Dawncaster or Monster Train?
Dawncaster currently peaks at #10 in the App Store charts, and Monster Train at #16. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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