# Alter Ego vs Hosted Games

The clearest difference is price: Hosted Games at Free against Alter Ego's $4.99. Hosted Games also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 17 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Alter Ego's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 35) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Hosted Games is free to download; Alter Ego costs $4.99 up front. Hosted Games sells 33 one-off in-app purchases. Alter Ego asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hosted Games holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hosted Games has 1K ratings behind it against 185, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 78% and 77% positive.

Alter Ego ships an update every 17 months, Hosted Games every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Alter Ego | Hosted Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (185 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alter-ego/id329703516/reviews) | **[4.7 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hosted-games/id1302297731/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 185 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.0% of reviews** | 77.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Choose Multiple LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/329703519) | [Hosted Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/482415564) |

## What reviewers say

### Alter Ego

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alter-ego/id329703516)

Experience a text-based life simulation where your choices shape your destiny from birth to death. Navigate over a thousand multiple-choice questions to determine your path, relationships, and career. Play as male or female in this deeply engaging interactive fiction.

**Highlights:** Text-based interactive fiction, Branching narrative choices, Life simulation from birth to death, Male and female character paths, Over 1000 multiple-choice questions, Updated interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly entertaining
- 👍 Immersive gameplay
- 💡 Unique life simulation concept
- 🤗 Heartwarming and emotional
- 🎮 Great replay value

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Game ends too quickly
- 🌈 Lack of LGBTQ+ representation
- 📚 Outdated and heteronormative
- 🔁 Repetitive scenarios
- 💰 Expensive for the content

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent character and relationship progression
- Glitches with certain life events and outcomes

**Requested features**

- Add more diverse life paths and events
- Introduce LGBTQ+ relationship options
- Expand gameplay length and stages of life
- Modernize the user interface and visuals
- Implement regular content updates


### Hosted Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hosted-games/id1302297731)

Explore a vast library of text-based interactive novels where your choices shape the narrative. Engage in diverse genres from horror and fantasy to romance and sci-fi, all powered by your imagination. Create your own stories using a simple scripting language.

**Highlights:** Vast library of interactive novels, Text-based storytelling, Choice-driven narratives, Multiple genres available, Create your own games, ChoiceScript programming language

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

**In-app purchases (33)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dragon of Steelthorne | $2.99 | one-time |
| Side Stories 21-30 | $2.99 | one-time |
| First Bull Run | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tokyo Wizard | $2.99 | one-time |
| It Takes Three to Tango | $3.99 | one-time |
| Divine Ascension | $4.99 | one-time |
| Samurai of Hyuga | $4.99 | one-time |
| Keeper's Vigil | $5.99 | one-time |
| World War II Armored Recon | $5.99 | one-time |
| Life as a Lich | $5.99 | one-time |
| Velocity: The Race Begins | $6.99 | one-time |
| Keeper of the Sun and Moon | $6.99 | one-time |
| Samurai of Hyuga Book 6 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Fallen Hero: Rebirth | $6.99 | one-time |
| Hero or Villain: Genesis | $6.99 | one-time |
| A Kiss from Death | $6.99 | one-time |
| Kitsune | $6.99 | one-time |
| Whiskey-Four | $6.99 | one-time |
| Wayhaven Chronicles: Book One | $7.99 | one-time |
| The Soul Stone War | $7.99 | one-time |
| Leas: City of the Sun | $7.99 | one-time |
| The People's House | $7.99 | one-time |
| Scales of Justice | $7.99 | one-time |
| Tale of Two Cranes | $8.99 | one-time |
| Breach: The Archangel Job | $8.99 | one-time |
| Wayhaven Chronicles: Book Two | $8.99 | one-time |
| Saturnine | $8.99 | one-time |
| The Golden Rose: Book One | $11.99 | one-time |
| Diaspora | $11.99 | one-time |
| Wayhaven Chronicles Three | $11.99 | one-time |
| Fallen Hero: Retribution | $11.99 | one-time |
| An Unexpectedly Green Journey | $11.99 | one-time |
| Fields of Asphodel | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Alter Ego free?

Alter Ego costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hosted Games free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Alter Ego or Hosted Games?

Hosted Games is rated higher. Alter Ego averages 4.4 out of 5 from 185 ratings, while Hosted Games averages 4.7 from 1K ratings.

### Do Alter Ego or Hosted Games have ads?

Both Alter Ego and Hosted Games show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Alter Ego or Hosted Games?

Alter Ego ships an update every 17 months, and Hosted Games every 10 days. Most recently, Alter Ego was updated on October 19, 2026 and Hosted Games on October 21, 2026.

---

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