# Frotz vs Eldrum

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Frotz at none against Eldrum's 3. Frotz also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.5.0). Eldrum's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 251). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Eldrum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Frotz asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Frotz against 4.7 for Eldrum. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eldrum has 1.4K ratings behind it against 251, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Frotz's written reviews are positive against 86% of Eldrum's.

Frotz ships an update every 5 months, Eldrum every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Frotz | Eldrum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (251 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frotz/id287653015/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-untold-text-rpg/id1486667077/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 251 | **1.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.8% of reviews** | 86.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.5.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Craig Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/287653018) | [Act None](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652633881) |

## What reviewers say

### Frotz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frotz/id287653015)

Experience classic text-based adventure games on your mobile device. Relive the golden age of interactive fiction with hundreds of free titles, supporting various game formats. Perfect for those who enjoy reading, thinking, and typing their way through immersive stories.

**Highlights:** Play hundreds of free interactive fiction games, Supports Z-Machine, glulx, and TADS formats, Relive classic text adventures, Modern interface with high-resolution fonts, Play on iPhone and iPad

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent performance
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Vast library of interactive fiction
- 🚀 Seamless game importing
- 👍 Helpful auto-complete and note-taking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🔧 Limited customization options
- 🔧 Lack of map/note-taking tools for some games
- 🔧 Difficulty browsing and downloading new games

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to resume certain saved games
- Inconsistent behavior when deleting or importing games

**Requested features**

- Add support for more modern interactive fiction formats
- Implement cloud sync and cross-device save support
- Improve game library management and discovery
- Add more customization options for text display


### Eldrum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-untold-text-rpg/id1486667077)

Embark on a text-based RPG adventure where your choices shape the narrative. Explore a world of warring factions, gather equipment, and develop your character. Discover secrets and multiple endings in this immersive interactive fiction.

**Highlights:** Text-based choices adventure RPG, Character building and equipment, Multiple endings, Over 8 hours of playtime, Secrets to discover, Supports phones and tablets, Accessible for blind/low-vision players

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade from Basic to Premium | $1.99 | one-time |
| Basic | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Immersive story and world-building
- 🎨 Beautiful artwork and music
- 🕹️ Engaging gameplay with meaningful choices
- 🔍 Lots of secrets and replayability
- 💰 Fair pricing model (one-time purchase)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of guidance/hints can be frustrating
- 🕰️ Relatively short main story
- 🤖 Combat system could use more depth
- 🔄 Limited ability to revisit previous areas

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional softlocks/progression blockers
- Typos and minor text issues

**Requested features**

- More content/story expansions
- Ability to carry over progress/decisions to sequels
- Additional languages (e.g., Russian, Spanish)
- Improved inventory/save management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Frotz free?

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

### Is Eldrum free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Frotz or Eldrum?

Frotz is rated higher. Frotz averages 4.8 out of 5 from 251 ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.7 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Frotz or Eldrum have ads?

Neither Frotz nor Eldrum shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Frotz or Eldrum?

Frotz ships an update every 5 months, and Eldrum every 10 days. Most recently, Frotz was updated on September 24, 2026 and Eldrum on September 26, 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.*