# Ashes vs Hero Tale

The clearest difference is rating: Hero Tale at 4.8 against Ashes's 3.8. Hero Tale also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (619 vs 14). Ashes's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ashes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hero Tale sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hero Tale holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hero Tale has 619 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Ashes's written reviews are positive against 64% of Hero Tale's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ashes ships an update every 6 months, Hero Tale every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ashes | Hero Tale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ashes-exponential-rpg/id1664810026/reviews) | **[4.8 (619 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-tale-idle-rpg/id6463722206/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **619** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 63.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 273 MB | 304 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Thibault Brouardelle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1664810028) | [Weird Johnny Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1413244112) |

## What reviewers say

### Ashes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ashes-exponential-rpg/id1664810026)

Experience a rogue-like RPG with steady progression, where you can gain thousands of levels in a single fight. Optimize your gear to reach the end within a limited number of battles in this offline adventure. Game data is saved locally on your device.

**Highlights:** Exponential level progression, Rogue-like gameplay, Gear optimization, Offline play, Limited fight progression

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "Support the dev" Gem | $4.99 | one-time |


### Hero Tale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-tale-idle-rpg/id6463722206)

Embark on a medieval fantasy island adventure. Battle enemies to grow stronger, collect loot, and customize your gear. Explore the world using an island map and develop your character through a vast skill tree.

**Highlights:** Idle combat and training, Loot and equipment customization, Questing and experience gain, Massive skill tree, Island exploration map

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Housekeeper Fairy | $4.99 | one-time |
| Warrior Fairy | $7.99 | one-time |
| Warlock Fairy | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast-paced gameplay
- 👍 Polished and well-designed
- 💡 Meaningful character progression
- 🎨 Impressive visuals and art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐢 Slow progression and leveling
- 🔋 No offline/passive progression
- 🤕 Lack of health regeneration
- ⚔️ Difficulty spike early on

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and performance issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Offline/passive progression mode
- Faster combat and leveling options
- Crafting and gear customization system
- More varied enemy and boss encounters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ashes free?

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

### Is Hero Tale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ashes or Hero Tale?

Hero Tale is rated higher. Ashes averages 3.8 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Hero Tale averages 4.8 from 619 ratings.

### Do Ashes or Hero Tale have ads?

Hero Tale shows ads; Ashes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ashes or Hero Tale?

Ashes ships an update every 6 months, and Hero Tale every 5 weeks. Most recently, Ashes was updated on October 24, 2026 and Hero Tale on October 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*