# Grim Tides vs Eldrum

The clearest difference is ads: Eldrum at none against Grim Tides's shown. Grim Tides's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 433). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Grim Tides sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Eldrum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Grim Tides against 4.9 for Eldrum. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 433 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Grim Tides's written reviews are positive against 95% of Eldrum's.

Grim Tides ships an update every 2 weeks, Eldrum every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Grim Tides | Eldrum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grim-tides-old-school-rpg/id1612461285/reviews) | **[4.9 (433 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-red-tide-text-rpg/id1630815537/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 433 |
| Positive reviews | 88.7% of reviews | **94.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 260 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Monomyth d.o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1539930491) | [Act None](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652633881) |

## What reviewers say

### Grim Tides

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grim-tides-old-school-rpg/id1612461285)

Embark on a text-based, turn-based RPG adventure across a tropical archipelago. Build your character, engage in strategic combat, and captain your ship through a world of magic and mystery. Experience deep customization and a story shaped by your choices.

**Highlights:** Text-based storytelling, Turn-based tactical combat, Deep character customization, Ship captaining and resource management, Roguelike elements, Offline play

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| Thanks! (Cleric Item Pack) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Thanks! (Knight Item Pack) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Thanks! (Mage Item Pack) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Thanks! (Rogue Item Pack) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Thanks! (Barbarian Item Pack) | $14.99 | one-time |
| THANKS! (Manifestation Device) | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great game
- 👍 Old school entertainment
- 👍 Fantastic game with depth
- 👍 Compelling story and world
- 👍 Engaging gameplay and combat

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Paywall after initial free content
- 🔒 Slow progression and grindy at higher levels

**Reported bugs**

- Difficulty escaping combat
- Inconsistent access to healing resources
- Progression-blocking bugs with quests and exits

**Requested features**

- More gear and item variety
- Ability to customize passive abilities
- Improved inventory and merchant UI
- More diverse dungeon layouts and enemy types
- Accessibility improvements for visually impaired players


### Eldrum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-red-tide-text-rpg/id1630815537)

Embark on a dark fantasy text-based RPG where your decisions forge your path. Explore a war-torn world, uncover secrets, and shape your character's destiny through branching narratives and multiple endings. This immersive experience offers deep gameplay reminiscent of tabletop RPGs.

**Highlights:** Text-based choices adventure RPG, Nostalgic table-top RPG style, Character building and equipment, Multiple endings based on choices, Secrets to discover, High replayability

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade from Basic to Premium | $2.49 | one-time |
| Basic | $6.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great story
- 👍 Immersive and engaging
- 🎨 Excellent visuals and atmosphere
- 📚 Detailed and well-written lore
- 🎮 Compelling gameplay with meaningful choices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional combat balance issues
- 🕹️ Challenging combat system for some players
- 📱 Not optimized for larger screens (iPad)

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent enemy shield/evasion chances
- Difficulty spikes in certain encounters

**Requested features**

- Sound effects for combat
- More content and story expansions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Grim Tides free?

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

### Is Eldrum free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Grim Tides or Eldrum?

Eldrum is rated higher. Grim Tides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 433 ratings.

### Do Grim Tides or Eldrum have ads?

Grim Tides shows ads; Eldrum does not.

### Which is updated more often, Grim Tides or Eldrum?

Grim Tides ships an update every 2 weeks, and Eldrum every 9 days. Most recently, Grim Tides was updated on October 24, 2026 and Eldrum on October 27, 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.*