# Sonolus vs Borderland Arena

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Borderland Arena at none against Sonolus's 4. Borderland Arena also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.3 vs 3.9). Sonolus's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 22) and chart position (#34 vs unranked). On price and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sonolus sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Borderland Arena asks for nothing beyond the download.

Borderland Arena holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonolus has 1.1K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Sonolus's written reviews are positive against 78% of Borderland Arena's.

Sonolus ships an update every 2 months, Borderland Arena every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sonolus | Borderland Arena |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonolus/id1637055220/reviews) | **[4.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borderland-arena/id6749435103/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 151 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MACAU FOSFENES TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1516590315) | [Vusal Islamzada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827176134) |

## What reviewers say

### Sonolus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonolus/id1637055220)

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Free · Music, #117 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Dive into a vibrant rhythm game community. Play solo, with friends, or compete against others. Create and share your own custom levels and replays.

**Highlights:** Rhythm game exploration, Multiplayer gameplay, Level creation, Replay sharing, Community connection

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem x500 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem x1000 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gem x2200 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Gem x6000 | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing app
- 👍 Great rhythm game
- 👍 Lots of custom content
- 👍 Fantastic experience
- 👍 Awesome game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Banned from server
- 🐛 Failed connections
- 🐛 Odd controls
- 🔒 Homophobic creators
- 🐛 Server issues

**Reported bugs**

- Chart preview keeps playing on loop
- Ads

**Requested features**

- More Project Sekai charts
- Kpop server


### Borderland Arena

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borderland-arena/id6749435103)

Engage in a unique strategy card game with online multiplayer and AI-powered rule generation. Design custom challenges, set your own game parameters, and make tactical decisions to complete missions within defined limits. Experience a dynamic and evolving gameplay where you control the rules.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer battles, AI-powered rule generation, Customizable game rules, Time-based challenges, Mission completion, Personalized gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate simulation of AIB registration
- 🤩 Highly customizable
- 💯 Impressive and true to the TV show

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Ads at the bottom of the screen can be annoying
- 🔊 AI voice not the same as the show

**Reported bugs**

- Japanese language mode sounds like English mixed with Japanese

**Requested features**

- Add a Joker card option
- Use the original voice from the show (English and Japanese)
- Add a 'game over' screen with the show's sound effects
- Implement a 'facial recognition' startup screen
- Add a 'visa' screen that shows the last played game card


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sonolus free?

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

### Is Borderland Arena free?

Borderland Arena is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sonolus or Borderland Arena?

Borderland Arena is rated higher. Sonolus averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Borderland Arena averages 4.3 from 22 ratings.

### Do Sonolus or Borderland Arena have ads?

Sonolus shows ads; Borderland Arena does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sonolus or Borderland Arena?

Sonolus ships an update every 2 months, and Borderland Arena every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sonolus was updated on October 25, 2026 and Borderland Arena on October 24, 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.*