# ESPN Tournament Challenge vs Brackelope

The clearest difference is rating: ESPN Tournament Challenge at 4.7 against Brackelope's 3.5. ESPN Tournament Challenge also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (44K vs 91). Brackelope's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (55% vs 34%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ESPN Tournament Challenge sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per month and Brackelope sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ESPN Tournament Challenge holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ESPN Tournament Challenge has 44K ratings behind it against 91, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 34% of ESPN Tournament Challenge's written reviews are positive against 55% of Brackelope's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ESPN Tournament Challenge ships an update every 9 days, Brackelope every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESPN Tournament Challenge | Brackelope |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (44K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/espn-tournament-challenge/id359891723/reviews)** | [3.5 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brackelope-tournament-builder/id545185377/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **44K** | 91 |
| Positive reviews | 34.1% of reviews | **55.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 86 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Disney](https://appshunter.io/developer/284888248) | [Isaac Ruiz](https://appshunter.io/developer/359275716) |

## What reviewers say

### ESPN Tournament Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/espn-tournament-challenge/id359891723)

Create and manage brackets for college basketball tournaments. Compete with friends and experts for prizes, utilize prediction tools, and track your bracket's performance in real-time. Offers quick fill options and team insights to help you make informed picks.

**Highlights:** Create multiple brackets, Compete in groups, Predictor and Analyzer tools, Quick Bracket auto-fill, Finish My Bracket option, Real-time score tracking, Perfect Bracket Tracker

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ESPN+ Monthly | $13.99 | per month |
| ESPN+ 7 Day Trial (Monthly) | $13.99 | per month |
| ESPN+ (Monthly) | $13.99 | per month |
| Tournament ESPN+ Monthly 2024 | $13.99 | per month |
| ESPN+ (Yearly) | $139.99 | per year |
| ESPN 7 Day Trial (Yearly) | $139.99 | per year |
| ESPN+ 14 Day Trial (Yearly) | $139.99 | per year |
| ESPN+ 30 Day Trial (Yearly) | $139.99 | per year |
| ESPN+ 90 Day Trial (Yearly) | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Fun and engaging
- 🚀 Efficient bracket management
- 🚀 Smooth app performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Difficult navigation and UI
- 🔍 Lack of key features
- 🔍 Inaccessible for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Brackets getting wiped
- Compatibility issues with older devices
- Frequent app crashes
- Login and sign-up problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to save and resume brackets
- More customization options
- Improved group management tools
- Better analytics and scoring features


### Brackelope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brackelope-tournament-builder/id545185377)

Easily build, run, and organize knockout, double, and single elimination tournaments for various competitions. Features real-time results posting, player management, and a payout calculator. Supports up to 128 players and integrates with IFPA results.

**Highlights:** Supports up to 128 players/teams, Draw match button, Real-time results posting (Brackelope Live), Knockout, Double, and Single Elimination tournaments, Manage match arenas, Save scores and player stats, Simple payout calculator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brackelope Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESPN Tournament Challenge free?

ESPN Tournament Challenge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Brackelope free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ESPN Tournament Challenge or Brackelope?

ESPN Tournament Challenge is rated higher. ESPN Tournament Challenge averages 4.7 out of 5 from 44K ratings, while Brackelope averages 3.5 from 91 ratings.

### Do ESPN Tournament Challenge or Brackelope have ads?

ESPN Tournament Challenge shows ads; Brackelope does not.

### Which is updated more often, ESPN Tournament Challenge or Brackelope?

ESPN Tournament Challenge ships an update every 9 days, and Brackelope every 3 months. Most recently, ESPN Tournament Challenge was updated on November 6, 2026 and Brackelope on November 1, 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.*