# PewPew vs Cytoid

The clearest difference is monetization model: Cytoid at free against PewPew's paid. Cytoid also leads on ratings volume (1.5K vs 67). PewPew's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 65%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Cytoid holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cytoid has 1.5K ratings behind it against 67, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of PewPew's written reviews are positive against 65% of Cytoid's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PewPew ships an update every 5 months, Cytoid every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PewPew | Cytoid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pewpew/id314964252/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cytoid/id1266582726/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 67 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.3% of reviews** | 64.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 12 MB | 513 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jean-Francois Geyelin](https://appshunter.io/developer/314964255) | [Man To Tang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1266582725) |

## What reviewers say

### PewPew

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pewpew/id314964252)

Experience intense, retro-style multidirectional shooting with massive enemy counts and a high frame rate. Choose from five distinct game modes, including Pandemonium, Dodge This, Assault, Chromatic Conflict, and Asteroids. Compete on online leaderboards and unlock new ships.

**Highlights:** Multidirectional shooting, Retro graphics, High frame rate, Five game modes, Online leaderboards, Unlockable ships, Game controller support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Challenging and addictive
- 🎮 Great retro-style controls
- 💯 Excellent value (free app)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or performance issues
- 🔊 Limited sound effects
- 📱 Screen size/orientation issues on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- High score data loss after updates
- Unresponsive controls on certain devices

**Requested features**

- More game modes and enemy types
- Multiplayer support
- Ability to disable background music
- Offline/campaign mode


### Cytoid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cytoid/id1266582726)

This is an open-source rhythm game where players can create, share, and play custom levels. It features a redesigned UI, a built-in community for downloading levels, and various gameplay enhancements for a smoother experience.

**Highlights:** Create and share custom rhythm game levels, Browse and download over 4000 user-created levels, Reworked rating system for competitive play, Seasonal and collaboration events with exclusive rewards, Unlockable characters, New storyboarding features for creators, Improved music/note synchronization

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Customizable, lots of charts to play
- 🚀 Beginner friendly
- 🚀 Community-driven
- 🚀 Interesting gameplay mechanics
- 🚀 High quality music and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezing issues
- 🐛 Timing issues and strict note accuracy
- 🐛 Login and account problems
- 🐛 Compatibility issues on older devices
- 🐛 Lack of in-game features (pause button, hit feedback, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Login/account issues
- Timing and note registration problems

**Requested features**

- In-game level/chart editor
- More customization options (skins, hitsounds, etc.)
- Improved search and organization for community charts
- Multiplayer or social features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PewPew free?

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

### Is Cytoid free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PewPew or Cytoid?

Cytoid is rated higher. PewPew averages 4.5 out of 5 from 67 ratings, while Cytoid averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do PewPew or Cytoid have ads?

Neither PewPew nor Cytoid shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PewPew or Cytoid?

PewPew ships an update every 5 months, and Cytoid every 3 months. Most recently, PewPew was updated on October 28, 2026 and Cytoid on October 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.*