# Ascension vs Subterfuge

The clearest difference is ads: Subterfuge at none against Ascension's shown. Subterfuge also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (586 vs 6). Ascension's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 87%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ascension sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Subterfuge sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Ascension against 4.7 for Subterfuge. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subterfuge has 586 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Ascension's written reviews are positive against 87% of Subterfuge's.

Ascension ships an update every 19 months, Subterfuge every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascension | Subterfuge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension/id413802563/reviews)** | [4.7 (586 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subterfuge/id702951905/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **586** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 87.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 822 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Piqued Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525107006) | [Secret Plan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1612896544) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascension

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension/id413802563)

A skill-based physics puzzle platformer where players navigate a cube through increasingly difficult stages to reach the top. Earn stars to unlock new chapters, characters, and cosmetic items. Compete with others on leaderboards and challenge friends.

**Highlights:** Skill-based physics puzzles, Four challenging chapters, Star reward system, Unlockable avatars and characters, Global and weekly leaderboards, Player challenges, In-game store for resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Star Key - Chapter 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Star Key - Chapter 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Star Key - Chapter 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Star Key - Chapter 4 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Season's Spoils | $24.99 | one-time |
| Vault of Gems | $99.99 | one-time |
| Completionist | $149.99 | one-time |


### Subterfuge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subterfuge/id702951905)

Engage in a week-long real-time strategy and diplomacy game. Gather intelligence, coordinate with others, and issue orders to influence the game's outcome. Master both strategic planning and player negotiation to achieve victory.

**Highlights:** Week-long real-time gameplay, Strategy and diplomacy mechanics, Intelligence gathering, Order issuance, Player coordination, Unlimited scheduled orders (with IAP), Private game creation (with IAP)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patron (L3) | $4.99 | per month |
| Medal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 5 Medals | $4.99 | one-time |
| Level 2 Security Clearance | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Awesome strategy game
- 👍 Brilliant game
- 👍 Fantastic game
- 👍 Best strategy game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Crashes too much
- 🐛 Unplayable
- 🐛 Crashes
- 🐛 Chat freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Queen randomly loses hire points
- Win conditions don't trigger
- Login screen freezes
- Game crashes on launch
- Notifications arrive late

**Requested features**

- Accelerated gameplay
- Shorter game modes
- Alliance feature
- More specialists
- New game modes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascension free?

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

### Is Subterfuge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ascension or Subterfuge?

Ascension is rated higher. Ascension averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Subterfuge averages 4.7 from 586 ratings.

### Do Ascension or Subterfuge have ads?

Ascension shows ads; Subterfuge does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ascension or Subterfuge?

Ascension ships an update every 19 months, and Subterfuge every 10 days. Most recently, Ascension was updated on October 23, 2026 and Subterfuge on October 22, 2026.

---

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