Comparison

Candlehead vs DREDGE

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

Head to head
About

Candlehead

Explore a surreal, candle-lit horror world in this first-person game. Investigate a deserted village, solve environmental puzzles, and evade a mysterious pursuer to find your way home.

Highlights
  • First-person gameplay
  • Non-linear open world
  • Stealth and survival
  • Item-based puzzles
  • Environmental storytelling
Features
Read full description

Enter a surreal world of candle lit horror. Who is Candlehead? Where has everybody in the village gone? How will you return home? Are you in danger? Explore a dark and eerie first person horror game where your doom flickers in the form of a candle barely visible through the dusky gloom. Solve the puzzles of the your surroundings to aid your escape and attempt to investigate what has befallen the village as well as who, or what, is chasing you. Features: • First person gameplay • Huge non-linear open world to explore • Stealth and survival elements • Item-based puzzles • Discoverable lore via environmental storytelling

About

DREDGE

Captain a fishing trawler to explore remote islands and their depths, selling catches and completing quests to uncover secrets. Upgrade your boat and research equipment to reach new areas, but beware of the dangers lurking in the dark.

Highlights
  • Explore remote islands and depths
  • Catch and sell over 125 sea creatures
  • Complete quests and uncover secrets
  • Upgrade boat with researchable equipment
  • Navigate treacherous waters
  • Survive encounters in the dark
Features
Read full description

*TRY BEFORE YOU BUY* Play the first area for free. One-time purchase unlocks the base game. DLC expansions available as additional in-app purchases. Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands, but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark... Explore the Islands & Discover their Secrets Starting from your new home in the remote archipelago, ‘The Marrows’, take to the water and scour the depths for curious collectables and over 125 deep sea denizens. Explore each area while completing quests and visiting neighboring island regions – each with their own unique opportunities, inhabitants, and secrets. Dredge the Depths Someone wants you to dig up the past, but can you trust them and will it ever be enough? Beware the Fog Danger is everywhere, so watch for sharp rocks and shallow reefs, though the biggest threats of all lurk within the fog that cloaks the night-time seas... Game Features: - Unravel a Mystery: Captain your fishing trawler across a collection of remote islands, each with its own inhabitants to meet, wildlife to discover, and stories to unearth. - Dredge the Depths: Scour the sea for hidden treasures and complete quests to gain access to strange new abilities - Study Your Craft: Research special equipment and upgrade your boat’s capabilities to gain access to rare fish and valuable deep-sea curios. - Fish to Survive: Sell your discoveries to the locals to learn more about each area, and upgrade your boat to reach even more secluded locations. - Fight the Unfathomable: Strengthen your mind and use your abilities to survive trips out on the water after dark.

Screenshots

Candlehead4 screens
DREDGE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: DREDGE at none against Candlehead's shown. DREDGE also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 111). Candlehead's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

Both are free to download. Candlehead sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and DREDGE sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Candlehead holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DREDGE has 1.1K ratings behind it against 111, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Candlehead's written reviews are positive against 60% of DREDGE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Candlehead ships an update every 7 months, DREDGE every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Candlehead versus DREDGE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCandleheadDREDGE
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (111 ratings) — better4.3 (1.1K ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews59.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1111.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.1 GB768 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperAmmonite Design Studios LtdBlack Salt Games

Customer experience

Candlehead

All ratings111 ratings
Positive84.7%
Neutral9.9%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

DREDGE

All ratings1,100 ratings
Positive82.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative14.2%
Written reviews1,148 reviews
Positive59.9%
Neutral10.2%
Negative29.9%

Bugs and requests

Candlehead

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

DREDGE

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Controller issues
  • Inventory/menu navigation problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Larger text and UI options
  • Cross-save between devices
  • More content and DLC
  • Minimap or navigation aids
  • Ability to walk around boat/town

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Candlehead

One-time1
  • No Ads$2.99
8 purchases

DREDGE

One-time8
  • Blackstone Key$0.49
  • Blackstone Key$0.99
  • The Pale Reach$2.39
Show 5 more
  • The Iron Rig$4.79
  • The Pale Reach$5.99
  • Base Game Unlock$9.99
  • The Iron Rig$11.99
  • Base Game Unlock$24.99

Questions

Is Candlehead free?
Candlehead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DREDGE free?
DREDGE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Candlehead or DREDGE?
Candlehead is rated higher. Candlehead averages 4.5 out of 5 from 111 ratings, while DREDGE averages 4.3 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Candlehead or DREDGE have ads?
Candlehead shows ads; DREDGE does not.
Which is updated more often, Candlehead or DREDGE?
Candlehead ships an update every 7 months, and DREDGE every 3 weeks. Most recently, Candlehead was updated on November 3, 2026 and DREDGE on November 9, 2026.

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