# 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 16.4). Eldrum's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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 4.9 for Eldrum. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 251 and 433 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Frotz's written reviews are positive against 95% of Eldrum's.

Frotz ships an update every 5 months, Eldrum every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Frotz | Eldrum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (251 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frotz/id287653015/reviews) | **[4.9 (433 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-red-tide-text-rpg/id1630815537/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 251 | **433** |
| Positive reviews | 90.8% of reviews | **94.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| 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-red-tide-text-rpg/id1630815537)

Embark on a dark fantasy text-based RPG where your decisions forge your path. Explore a war-torn world, uncover secrets, and shape your character's destiny through branching narratives and multiple endings. This immersive experience offers deep gameplay reminiscent of tabletop RPGs.

**Highlights:** Text-based choices adventure RPG, Nostalgic table-top RPG style, Character building and equipment, Multiple endings based on choices, Secrets to discover, High replayability

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade from Basic to Premium | $2.49 | one-time |
| Basic | $6.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great story
- 👍 Immersive and engaging
- 🎨 Excellent visuals and atmosphere
- 📚 Detailed and well-written lore
- 🎮 Compelling gameplay with meaningful choices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional combat balance issues
- 🕹️ Challenging combat system for some players
- 📱 Not optimized for larger screens (iPad)

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent enemy shield/evasion chances
- Difficulty spikes in certain encounters

**Requested features**

- Sound effects for combat
- More content and story expansions


## 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?

Eldrum is rated higher. Frotz averages 4.8 out of 5 from 251 ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 433 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 9 days. Most recently, Frotz was updated on October 3, 2026 and Eldrum on October 14, 2026.

---

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