# DragonVale vs Hatching Dragons

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hatching Dragons at 100% against DragonVale's 73%. Hatching Dragons also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). DragonVale's advantage is ratings volume (100K vs 6) and chart position (#32 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DragonVale sells 20 one-off in-app purchases and Hatching Dragons sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hatching Dragons holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DragonVale has 100K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of DragonVale's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hatching Dragons's.

DragonVale ships an update every 4 weeks, Hatching Dragons every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DragonVale | Hatching Dragons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (100K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragonvale-breed-dragons/id440045374/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hatching-dragons/id6762028860/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **100K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#32** | — |
| Size | 537 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Deca Live Operations GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1464120176) | [BRENDEN KYLE PETERSEN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892553306) |

## What reviewers say

### DragonVale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragonvale-breed-dragons/id440045374)

**Currently charting:** #32 Top Grossing · Family, #152 Top Free · Family, #181 Top Grossing · Simulation (US App Store)

This game lets you collect, breed, and raise over 500 mythical dragons. Build a fantasy park, nurture your dragons from baby to elder, and send them on quests for treasures. Discover new dragons and decorations during seasonal events.

**Highlights:** Breed and hatch over 500 mythical dragons, Nurture dragons from baby to elder, Enter dragons in races and quests, Discover new dragons and decorations, Build and decorate floating islands, Connect and share with friends

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

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pile of Cash | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Treats | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Cash | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Treats | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Cash | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Treats | $4.99 | one-time |
| Excellent Iceberry/Gem Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Excellent Eggs & Gem Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Outstanding Iceberry/Gem Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Outstanding Eggs & Gem Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Impressive Iceberry/Gem Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| Impressive Eggs & Gem Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| Box of Gems | $24.99 | one-time |
| Stunning Iceberry & Gem Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| Stunning Eggs & Gem Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Iceberry/Gem Bundle | $99.99 | one-time |
| Incredible Eggs & Gem Bundle | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🐉 Nostalgic and long-running game
- 👍 Variety of unique dragons to collect
- 🎨 Appealing and creative dragon designs
- 🎉 Engaging seasonal events and new content
- 🤝 Cooperative breeding with friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases and upgrades
- 🕰️ Slow progression and long waiting times
- 🤯 Overwhelming number of new dragons
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and loading issues
- 🤔 Confusing and complicated new features (Rift)

**Reported bugs**

- Glitches with ad-related features
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
- Inability to delete or reset saved parks

**Requested features**

- Ability to gift dragons to friends
- More customization options for islands
- Easier way to reorganize and manage park
- Reduced costs for habitats and upgrades
- Improved rewards and currency acquisition


### Hatching Dragons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hatching-dragons/id6762028860)

Discover unique eggs, bond with them through minigames, and hatch them into one-of-a-kind dragons. Collect dragons across different elements and rarities to complete your codex in this cozy, family-friendly care game.

**Highlights:** Unique, one-of-a-kind eggs, Bonding minigames, Hatch unique dragons, Collect dragons by element and rarity, Complete dragon codex, Kid-friendly gameplay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coin Pouch | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Jar | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Chest | $4.99 | one-time |
| Treasure Chest | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dragon Vault | $19.99 | one-time |
| Mythic Hoard | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DragonVale free?

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

### Is Hatching Dragons free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DragonVale or Hatching Dragons?

Hatching Dragons is rated higher. DragonVale averages 4.7 out of 5 from 100K ratings, while Hatching Dragons averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do DragonVale or Hatching Dragons have ads?

Both DragonVale and Hatching Dragons show ads.

### Which is updated more often, DragonVale or Hatching Dragons?

DragonVale ships an update every 4 weeks, and Hatching Dragons every 3 weeks. Most recently, DragonVale was updated on October 27, 2026 and Hatching Dragons on October 7, 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.*