# HackEm vs Melldows

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Melldows at 100% against HackEm's 25%. Melldows also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 21 months). HackEm's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

HackEm costs $1.99 and Melldows $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Melldows holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of HackEm's written reviews are positive against 100% of Melldows's.

HackEm ships an update every 21 months, Melldows every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackEm | Melldows |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackem/id1667095744/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melldows/id6479600368/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 78 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Game Dev Team](https://appshunter.io/developer/561134317) | [Łukasz Cichecki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441114138) |

## What reviewers say

### HackEm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackem/id1667095744)

Engage in a unique blend of real-time strategy and tower defense as a hacker seeking revenge. Build a base to extract data and defend against security drones and autobots on randomly generated maps. Upgrade weapons and equipment with earned credits.

**Highlights:** Real-time strategy and tower defense mix, Diverse enemies with unique mechanics, Randomly generated maps, Extensive weapon and equipment upgrades, Intuitive controls, No ads or in-app purchases

**In-app purchases:** none


### Melldows

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melldows/id6479600368)

Design and color your own miniature world in this relaxing sandbox game. Spread forests, create paths, and add structures in a goal-less, creative experience.

**Highlights:** Creative land design, Goal-less sandbox experience, Forest and path creation, Place tents and ruins, Cozy and carefree gameplay

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackEm free?

HackEm costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Melldows free?

Melldows costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HackEm or Melldows?

Melldows is rated higher. HackEm averages 3.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Melldows averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do HackEm or Melldows have ads?

Neither HackEm nor Melldows shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackEm or Melldows?

HackEm ships an update every 21 months, and Melldows every 4 weeks. Most recently, HackEm was updated on October 15, 2026 and Melldows 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.*