# Ascension vs UpBoard

The clearest difference is rating: UpBoard at 5.0 against Ascension's 3.4. UpBoard also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Ascension's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ascension sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. UpBoard asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpBoard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ascension has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Ascension ships an update every 3 months, UpBoard every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascension | UpBoard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upboard/id1449412811/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Playdek, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/493347346) | [Hydra Softworks](https://appshunter.io/developer/550896869) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascension

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733)

Engage in a strategic deck-building card game where you acquire cards to gain Renown and unlock powerful Boons. Battle against the Fallen One alone or with friends, with expansions available to deepen the experience.

**Highlights:** Deck-building card game mechanics, Single-player and multiplayer modes, Unlock powerful Boons and Legendary status, Cross-platform online play, Offline AI opponents, Multiple expansions available

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Storm of Souls expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Promo Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Immortal Heroes expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ascension Promo Cards - Pack 4 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Rise of Vigil | $0.99 | one-time |
| Darkness Unleashed expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Realms Unraveled expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dawn of Champions | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dreamscape | $0.99 | one-time |
| Return of the Fallen expansion | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Awesome adaptation of the physical game
- 🕹️ Engaging gameplay
- 💰 Reasonable in-app purchase prices
- 🕰️ Excellent time killer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Slow AI turns
- 🔒 Issues with restoring purchases
- 🔍 Cluttered UI, hard to read cards
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Purchases disappearing after updates
- Restore function not working
- Crashes when certain cards are played
- Constructs getting stuck in the middle of the screen
- Game freezing and logging out users

**Requested features**

- Increase honor pool limit for online games
- Add custom deck building options
- Optimize for iPhone X and newer devices
- Provide option to revert to old art style
- Improve online multiplayer experience


### UpBoard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/upboard/id1449412811)

This app serves as a companion for various board games, offering tools like point counters and trackers for specific titles. It aims to simplify gameplay and enhance the experience for both casual and dedicated board game enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Point counter for Kingdomino, Æmber tracker for KeyForge, Ledger tracker for Your Town, Supports multiple board games, Enhances gamer experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascension free?

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

### Is UpBoard free?

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

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

UpBoard is rated higher. Ascension averages 3.4 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while UpBoard averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Ascension or UpBoard have ads?

Neither Ascension nor UpBoard shows ads.

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

Ascension ships an update every 3 months, and UpBoard every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ascension was updated on November 1, 2026 and UpBoard on October 18, 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.*