# Catan Classic vs Shadow Dice

The clearest difference is price: Shadow Dice at Free against Catan Classic's $4.99. Shadow Dice also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). Catan Classic's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#10 vs unranked). On update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Shadow Dice is free to download; Catan Classic costs $4.99 up front. Catan Classic sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Shadow Dice asks for nothing beyond the download.

Catan Classic ships an update every 5 months, Shadow Dice every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Catan Classic | Shadow Dice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catan-classic/id335029050/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 24.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 840 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [United Soft Media Verlag GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/330111789) | [Carlos Vlchez Domnguez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499623365) |

## What reviewers say

### Catan Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catan-classic/id335029050)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Board, #48 Top Paid · Strategy, #122 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Engage in a classic board game of trading, building, and settling. Compete with up to four players online or against AI opponents. Expand your gameplay with purchasable expansions offering new scenarios and mechanics.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer, AI opponents with unique strategies, Trading and resource management, Expandable gameplay with DLC, Original rule set, Game statistics, Comprehensive tutorial

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The new scenarios | $1.99 | one-time |
| Catan - The Islands | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Seafarers | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cities & Knights | $4.99 | one-time |
| All-expansions Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 👍 Faithful to the board game
- 🎮 Enjoyable AI opponents
- 🕹️ Customizable settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🧠 Unfair AI behavior
- 🎲 Questionable dice rolls
- 💰 Expensive expansions
- 🔍 Difficult to see the full board

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to reconnect to online games
- Freezing when placing the robber
- Disappearing resources and progress
- Inconsistent login and account management

**Requested features**

- Online multiplayer improvements
- More game modes and scenarios
- Better UI optimization for newer devices
- Ability to save and resume games


### Shadow Dice

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-dice/id1593610919)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Catan Classic free?

Catan Classic costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Shadow Dice free?

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

### Do Catan Classic or Shadow Dice have ads?

Shadow Dice shows ads; Catan Classic does not.

### Which is updated more often, Catan Classic or Shadow Dice?

Catan Classic ships an update every 5 months, and Shadow Dice every 10 months. Most recently, Catan Classic was updated on November 5, 2026 and Shadow Dice on October 27, 2026.

---

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