# The Bard's Tale vs Grimvalor

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Grimvalor at none against The Bard's Tale's 10. Grimvalor also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (91% vs 70%). The Bard's Tale's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $5.99) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

The Bard's Tale costs $2.99 and Grimvalor $5.99 up front. The Bard's Tale sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Grimvalor asks for nothing beyond the download.

Grimvalor holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grimvalor has 9.8K ratings behind it against 657, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of The Bard's Tale's written reviews are positive against 91% of Grimvalor's.

The Bard's Tale ships an update every 3 months, Grimvalor every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Bard's Tale | Grimvalor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (657 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-bards-tale/id480375355/reviews) | **[4.9 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grimvalor/id1369179088/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 657 | **9.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 70.4% of reviews | **90.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #142 | **#60** |
| Size | 1.7 GB | 739 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [inXile Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/290807372) | [Direlight](https://appshunter.io/developer/857649562) |

## What reviewers say

### The Bard's Tale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-bards-tale/id480375355)

**Currently charting:** #142 Top Paid · Role Playing (US App Store)

Embark on a massive 3D epic role-playing adventure filled with humor and magic. Summon allies, explore a vast world, and battle diverse enemies. This critically acclaimed game offers hours of engaging gameplay with a full cast of characters and a rich inventory.

**Highlights:** Massive 3D epic role-playing game, Magical song summoning, Vast world exploration, 50+ enemy types, Over 150 unique items, Includes classic trilogy, iCloud saves

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coin Clipping Kit | $0.99 | one-time |
| Receive Inheritance | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bard Training | $0.99 | one-time |
| Trow Map Collection | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bard Intensive Training | $1.99 | one-time |
| Discover Lost Silver Mine | $2.99 | one-time |
| Talent Boot Camp | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bard Epic Transformation Training | $2.99 | one-time |
| Best Bow: Ddraig Goch | $2.99 | one-time |
| Best Armor: Armor of Llyr | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Funny and entertaining
- 👍 Good value for money
- 👍 Nostalgic for old fans
- 👍 Smooth gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Glitchy save system
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🔋 Performance issues on older devices
- 👎 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Dialogue options not showing up
- Saved games getting corrupted
- Compatibility issues with iOS 14 and newer

**Requested features**

- Improved graphics and visuals
- Better tutorial and onboarding
- More save points and checkpoints
- Ability to restore in-app purchases


### Grimvalor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grimvalor/id1369179088)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Paid · Adventure, #78 Top Paid · Action (US App Store)

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure as a lone warrior battling through a corrupted realm. Master skill-based combat, explore atmospheric landscapes, and face epic boss fights in this challenging hack and slash platformer. Restore the kingdom and uncover the fate of its lost king.

**Highlights:** Skill-based combat, Exploration of dark fantasy world, Epic boss fights, Stunning 3D visuals, Customizable touch controls, MFi controller support, Offline play

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Excellent controls
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 🎶 Great soundtrack
- 💰 Worth the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🕹️ Challenging difficulty spikes
- 🕹️ Frustrating jumping puzzles
- 🕹️ Dodge mechanic issues
- 🔍 Lack of character customization

**Reported bugs**

- Dodge not registering properly
- Crashes in New Game Plus
- Companion AI issues
- Graphical glitches on older devices

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Ability to replay bosses
- Enemy scaling for higher difficulties
- Expanded weapon and trinket selection
- New game plus improvements


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Bard's Tale free?

The Bard's Tale costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Grimvalor free?

Grimvalor costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Bard's Tale or Grimvalor?

Grimvalor is rated higher. The Bard's Tale averages 4.5 out of 5 from 657 ratings, while Grimvalor averages 4.9 from 9.8K ratings.

### Do The Bard's Tale or Grimvalor have ads?

Neither The Bard's Tale nor Grimvalor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Bard's Tale or Grimvalor?

The Bard's Tale ships an update every 3 months, and Grimvalor every 2 months. Most recently, The Bard's Tale was updated on October 17, 2026 and Grimvalor on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, The Bard's Tale or Grimvalor?

The Bard's Tale currently peaks at #142 in the App Store charts, and Grimvalor at #60. 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.*