Comparison

Dark Blades vs Instant Armory

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

Head to head
About

Dark Blades

This tool helps you create and manage characters for the tabletop role-playing game Blades in the Dark. It provides access to all seven character types within the game's industrial fantasy setting.

Highlights
  • Character creation
  • Character management
  • All seven character types
  • Tabletop RPG tool
  • Blades in the Dark companion
Features
Read full description

Character Manager for Blades in the Dark. Blades in the Dark is a tabletop fantasy role-playing game by John Harper, set in a fictional city of Doskvol, inspired by Victorian London and Gothic fiction. The default setting of Blades in the Dark, Doskvol, is a roughly 19th century level of technology combined with urban fantasy. An industrial world under perpetual night, long after some great catastrophe has relegated the sun to storybooks, and resulted in the ghosts of the dead lingering in the world. Players take the role of members of a criminal organization such as thieves, smugglers, or merchants of some illicit goods, and grind their way up the criminal underworld by seizing money, territory and infamy. Tool to create and manage your Blades in the Dark characters. All seven character types are available to you. The use of the original book is necessary.

About

Instant Armory

Create custom arms, armor, and equipment for fantasy tabletop RPGs with a vast library of hand-drawn art. Record descriptions and stats, then roll dice within the app or print physical cards for your games.

Highlights
  • Design custom fantasy equipment
  • Extensive hand-drawn art library
  • Record descriptions and stats
  • In-app dice rolling
  • Printable equipment cards
Features
Read full description

Instant Armory allows you to design weapons, armor, and equipment for fantasy tabletop roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, using a myriad of hand-drawn art. Record a description and stats, and roll dice directly in-app or print equipment cards for use at the table.

Screenshots

Dark Blades4 screens
Instant Armory4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Instant Armory at 4.7 against Dark Blades's 4.0. Instant Armory also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months). Dark Blades's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 85%). 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. Dark Blades sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Instant Armory sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Instant Armory holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Instant Armory has 269 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Dark Blades's written reviews are positive against 85% of Instant Armory's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dark Blades ships an update every 10 months, Instant Armory fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Dark Blades versus Instant Armory: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDark BladesInstant Armory
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)4.7 (269 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better84.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1269 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB151 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperCarlos Vlchez DomnguezTrapStreet Studios

Customer experience

Dark Blades

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Instant Armory

All ratings251 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral4.0%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive84.9%
Neutral7.5%
Negative7.5%

Bugs and requests

Dark Blades

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Instant Armory

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Constant crashing
  • Cannot purchase items on cellular data
  • Unlock all features bug (resolved)

Requested features

13 requests
  • More shields with varied options
  • Add crossbows
  • Design bard instruments
  • More armor variants
  • More customization options
Show 8 more
  • More free coins/slots
  • Add more 'coming soon' weapons
  • Enchantments for free
  • More options without paying
  • Size slider for weapon pieces
  • Designated 'save' button
  • More color options
  • More weapon parts and colors

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Dark Blades

One-time1
  • Dark Blade Premium$4.99
7 purchases

Instant Armory

One-time7
  • 1 COIN$0.49
  • 5 COINS$1.99
  • 10 COINS$3.99
Show 4 more
  • Gift Unlock Content$7.99
  • Gift Unlock Everything$7.99
  • Unlock Content$9.99
  • Unlock Everything$9.99

Questions

Is Dark Blades free?
Dark Blades is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Instant Armory free?
Instant Armory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Dark Blades or Instant Armory?
Instant Armory is rated higher. Dark Blades averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Instant Armory averages 4.7 from 269 ratings.
Do Dark Blades or Instant Armory have ads?
Dark Blades shows ads; Instant Armory does not.
Which is updated more often, Dark Blades or Instant Armory?
Dark Blades ships an update every 10 months, and Instant Armory fortnightly. Most recently, Dark Blades was updated on November 3, 2026 and Instant Armory on November 3, 2026.

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