# Root Growth vs The Army

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Root Growth at none against The Army's 13. The Army's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.6 vs 4.1). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Army sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Root Growth asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Army holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 4.4K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of Root Growth's written reviews are positive against 30% of The Army's.

Root Growth ships an update monthly, The Army every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Root Growth | The Army |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/root-growth/id1631261035/reviews) | **[4.6 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-army/id6476567148/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | **4.4K** |
| Positive reviews | 14.7% of reviews | **30.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 134 MB | 196 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [妮 赵](https://appshunter.io/developer/1630650670) | [FIRE STUDIOS OYUN TEKNOLOJILERI ANONIM SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673312720) |

## What reviewers say

### Root Growth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/root-growth/id1631261035)

Guide roots to grow and reach water sources, transforming them into large trees. Expand your reach to conquer entire planets and see how many you can occupy.

**Highlights:** Grow roots strategically, Reach water sources, Develop into large trees, Conquer planets, Expand your territory

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Satisfying gameplay
- 🌳 Cute and relaxing visuals
- 👍 No ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads and monetization
- 🐛 Laggy performance
- 🕰️ Lack of content and short playtime

**Reported bugs**

- Spelling mistakes in UI
- Inconsistent gameplay mechanics

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Option to remove ads for a fee


### The Army

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-army/id6476567148)

Lead your forces to victory in this idle strategy game. Customize your army with diverse units and dynamic upgrades. Compete in weekly tournaments and events to earn rewards and prove your strategic prowess.

**Highlights:** Dynamic army upgrades, Diverse unit types, Progressive gameplay, Weekly tournaments & events, Ever-growing arsenal

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ticket 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Gem Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ticket 2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Game Speed Forever | $9.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gem Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pass | $11.99 | one-time |
| Large Gem Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Game Speed | $19.99 | one-time |
| Epic Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| Mountain Gem Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| Gigantic Gem Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Gem Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 No forced ads
- 🎮 Simple but fun concept
- 🎨 Old school vibe

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- ⏱️ Slow progression and grindy
- 🤖 Poor AI and unit targeting
- 💰 Aggressive monetization and ads
- 🔊 Lack of sound effects

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after updates
- Purchased upgrades not working as intended
- Duplication issues with card unlocks
- Tournaments become unplayable at higher levels

**Requested features**

- Ability to control unit targeting
- More diverse unit types and strategies
- Random level generation
- Faster gameplay speed options
- Paid ad removal option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Root Growth free?

Root Growth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Army free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Root Growth or The Army?

The Army is rated higher. Root Growth averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while The Army averages 4.6 from 4.4K ratings.

### Do Root Growth or The Army have ads?

Root Growth shows ads; The Army does not.

### Which is updated more often, Root Growth or The Army?

Root Growth ships an update monthly, and The Army every 3 days. Most recently, Root Growth was updated on October 25, 2026 and The Army on October 25, 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.*