# Ascension vs Dominion

The clearest difference is rating: Dominion at 4.9 against Ascension's 3.4. Dominion also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (68% vs 60%). On price, ads, 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 Dominion sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dominion holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 5.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Ascension's written reviews are positive against 68% of Dominion's.

Ascension ships an update every 3 months, Dominion every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascension | Dominion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-deckbuilding-game/id441838733/reviews) | **[4.9 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dominion/id1476461085/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **5.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **68.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 423 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) | [Temple Gates Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190675051) |

## 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


### Dominion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dominion/id1476461085)

Build a powerful deck to expand your kingdom and earn victory points in this acclaimed deck-building strategy game. Explore vast card combinations, compete against AI or other players online, and enjoy endless replayability with numerous expansions.

**Highlights:** Deck-building mechanics, Kingdom expansion, AI opponent, Online multiplayer, Daily puzzles, Cross-platform play, Expansion packs

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Alchemy | $4.99 | one-time |
| Intrigue | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cornucopia | $4.99 | one-time |
| Seaside | $9.99 | one-time |
| Renaissance | $9.99 | one-time |
| Prosperity | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dark Ages | $9.99 | one-time |
| Adventures | $9.99 | one-time |
| Empires | $9.99 | one-time |
| Rising Sun | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎮 Faithful adaptation of the board game
- 👍 Challenging AI opponents
- 🎨 Great visual design and animations
- 📱 Convenient mobile experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (e.g. crashes, card interactions not working as expected)
- 🤖 Inconsistent or overpowered AI behavior
- 💰 Expensive expansion packs
- 🕰️ Slow animation speed for AI turns
- 🔀 Lack of customization options (e.g. disabling certain cards, saving game setups)

**Reported bugs**

- Possession card not working correctly
- Victory points not displayed properly
- Inability to rejoin games after server disconnects

**Requested features**

- Ability to select specific card sets for randomized games
- Option to complete games against AI when opponents forfeit
- More detailed game statistics and player history tracking
- Improved matchmaking filters for online play
- Shareable in-app purchases for family members


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascension free?

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

### Is Dominion free?

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

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

Dominion is rated higher. Ascension averages 3.4 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Dominion averages 4.9 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Ascension or Dominion have ads?

Neither Ascension nor Dominion shows ads.

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

Ascension ships an update every 3 months, and Dominion every 5 days. Most recently, Ascension was updated on November 3, 2026 and Dominion on November 3, 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.*