# osu!stream vs Arcaea

The clearest difference is rating: Arcaea at 4.8 against osu!stream's 3.3. Arcaea also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 46%) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 6 weeks). osu!stream's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.4). On price, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arcaea sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. osu!stream asks for nothing beyond the download.

Arcaea holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Arcaea has 25K ratings behind it against 1.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of osu!stream's written reviews are positive against 78% of Arcaea's.

osu!stream ships an update every 6 weeks, Arcaea every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | osu!stream | Arcaea |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/osustream/id436952197/reviews) | **[4.8 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcaea/id1205999125/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K | **25K** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **78.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#64** | #86 |
| Size | 53 MB | 1.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dean Herbert](https://appshunter.io/developer/386524129) | [lowiro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381393762) |

## What reviewers say

### osu!stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/osustream/id436952197)

**Currently charting:** #64 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Tap, slide, hold, and spin to the rhythm in this free music game. Master challenging beatmaps crafted by the community, with multiple play styles including an expert mode. Compete on online leaderboards and enjoy vibrant graphics and smooth gameplay.

**Highlights:** Tap, slide, hold, and spin mechanics, Community-crafted beatmaps, Multiple play styles including expert mode, Online leaderboards, Vibrant pixel-perfect graphics, Optional finger guides, Autoplay mode for learning

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Refreshing experience for osu players
- 👍 Good game, challenging
- 👍 Awesome and addictive game
- 👍 Awesome game, fun and addictive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes, freezes, and black screens
- 🐛 Timing and accuracy issues
- 🐛 Unresponsive controls
- 🐛 Lack of songs and content
- 🐛 Outdated and repetitive song selection

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes on launch
- Songs disappear after login
- Timing and hit detection issues
- Unresponsive controls and gameplay
- Compatibility problems with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Add custom beatmap creation
- Add more songs and genres
- Implement online features like leaderboards and multiplayer
- Add more difficulty options and modifiers
- Improve song selection and update with new content


### Arcaea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcaea/id1205999125)

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Music, #94 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Experience a unique rhythm game that blends challenging gameplay with an immersive story. Progress through a narrative driven by your performance, unlock new difficulties, and compete with others online. Enjoy a vast library of music, with more available through content packs.

**Highlights:** Novel gameplay mechanics, Immersive sound and story, High difficulty ceiling, Over 350 songs, 3 rhythm difficulty levels per song, Real-time online multiplayer, Rich Main Story and Side Stories

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Memories | $0.99 | one-time |
| 510 Memories | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1020 Memories | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Unique gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and art
- 🎶 Excellent music selection
- 👍 Smooth and responsive controls
- 💯 Challenging yet rewarding difficulty

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for content
- 🔁 Repetitive grind in World Mode
- 🐛 Occasional note registration issues
- 🔊 Audio desync when multitasking
- 🤖 Lack of practice mode or tutorial

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and account sync problems
- Compatibility problems on certain devices
- Crashes and freezes during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode to compete with friends
- Ability to earn premium currency through gameplay
- More free song options to explore the game
- Customizable note speed and offset settings
- Improved story mode and character development


## Frequently asked questions

### Is osu!stream free?

osu!stream is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Arcaea free?

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

### Which has better reviews, osu!stream or Arcaea?

Arcaea is rated higher. osu!stream averages 3.3 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Arcaea averages 4.8 from 25K ratings.

### Do osu!stream or Arcaea have ads?

Neither osu!stream nor Arcaea shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, osu!stream or Arcaea?

osu!stream ships an update every 6 weeks, and Arcaea every 8 days. Most recently, osu!stream was updated on October 16, 2026 and Arcaea on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, osu!stream or Arcaea?

osu!stream currently peaks at #64 in the App Store charts, and Arcaea at #86. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*