Comparison

Cytus vs Paradigm

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cytus

Experience a unique rhythm game with a captivating story and diverse musical genres. Tap notes in time with the music, utilizing an intuitive active scan line system. Enjoy a vast library of songs and challenging difficulty levels.

Highlights
  • 200+ songs and 400+ variations
  • Beautiful hand-drawn art style
  • Active Scan Line system
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Diverse music genres
  • Story-driven experience
Read full description

Welcome to the Musical World of Cytus LET’S EXPERIENCE MUSIC ’N ART, BEAT ’N REBOUND! Check the screenshots and you will see the most AWESOME mobile music game ever! Just PLAY and ENJOY! ------------------------------------------------------ FEATURES - 200 songs and 400 variations, including many from famous composers around the world - Beautiful hand-drawn art style (as illustrated in the screenshots) - Easy, intuitive Active Scan Line system and 3 types of notes - Different display modes allow player-friendly previewing of notes - Strong beat and rhythms provide satisfying feedback for taps - More than 9 difficulty levels for more fun and challenges - Various music genres: POP, JAZZ, TRANCE, HARDCORE, DRUM 'N BASS and many more - Connect to Facebook and show off your Cytus skills ------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO PLAY - Follow along the Active Scan Line - Tap each note as the line passes through - Time your taps as the line is at the center of the note for a higher score! ------------------------------------------------------ STORY In the distant future, the only sentient beings in the world are robots. They are the last remnant of the human spirit. However, mankind is not dead. Technology exists that is capable of transferring memories to these robots. But with limited space, new memories will gradually overwrite the old. To prevent the emotions in human memories from fading away, the robots resorted to converting the emotions to music, and storing them in a place called Cytus. The robots use these songs to experience human emotion and dream that souls exists in each of them... Cytus --------------------------------------------- Cytus Official Site: http://www.rayark.com/g/cytus Rayark Official Site: http://www.rayark.com Follow Cytus https://twitter.com/CytusRayark Like Cytus http://www.facebook.com/rayark.Cytus

About

Paradigm

Experience a unique rhythm game set in 3D space, blending music gameplay with a narrative. Navigate four-sided levels with special "Space" notes and enjoy a wide range of music from global artists. The game offers adjustable difficulty for all skill levels.

Highlights
  • Stereoscopic 3D gameplay
  • Four-sided rhythm mechanics
  • Unique "Space" notes
  • Storytelling elements
  • Adjustable difficulty levels
  • Global artist music library
Features
Read full description

Paradigm: Reboot presents a rhythm game in 3-dimensional space, Combining MUG with elements of storytelling. [Highlights] Core Gameplay: Wondrous four-sided gameplay with emphasized "Space" notes. [Difficulty] From relaxing to hardcore, Multiple charts of choice bring you a steady progression in difficulty, Enjoy the experience as you steadily progress into mastery :) [Musics] Enjoy music from popular artists across the world.

Screenshots

Cytus4 screens
Paradigm4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Paradigm at Free against Cytus's $1.99. Paradigm also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). Cytus's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and chart position (#17 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Paradigm is free to download; Cytus costs $1.99 up front. Cytus sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Paradigm sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cytus holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cytus has 1.8K ratings behind it against 268, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Cytus's written reviews are positive against 81% of Paradigm's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cytus ships an update every 4 months, Paradigm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Cytus versus Paradigm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCytusParadigm
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (1.8K ratings) — better4.7 (268 ratings)
Positive reviews92.3% of reviews — better81.4% of reviews
Number of ratings1.8K — better268
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#17 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB1.2 GB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRayark International LimitedXiamen TunerGames Network Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Cytus

All ratings1,758 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral1.0%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews455 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral2.0%
Negative5.7%

Paradigm

All ratings268 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral3.4%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews129 reviews
Positive81.4%
Neutral7.8%
Negative10.9%

User reviews

Cytus

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎶 Great music and soundtrack
  • 🎨 Beautiful artwork and visuals
  • 💯 Challenging and addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Offline playability
  • 🕹️ Unique and responsive controls

Room to improve

  • 🤚 Thumb placement can obscure notes
  • 🔢 Inconsistent difficulty ratings
  • 💰 Some chapters locked behind paywall
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
  • 🔌 Compatibility issues on newer devices

Paradigm

From 268 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Innovative gameplay
  • 🎨 Impressive visuals and art style
  • 🎵 High-quality music and soundtracks
  • 💰 Generous free-to-play model
  • 🎢 Compelling story and characters

Room to improve

  • 🔑 Difficulty unlocking content
  • 🤖 Challenging charts and high skill ceiling
  • 🌐 Connectivity issues for some users
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

Bugs and requests

Cytus

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sound not working on certain devices
  • Purchased content disappearing after updates
  • Inability to restore previous progress

Requested features

5 requests
  • More diverse music genres
  • Customizable note sizes and placements
  • Improved difficulty balancing
  • Restore purchase functionality
  • Dedicated marathon/endless mode

Paradigm

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Rewards button causing performance issues
  • Inconsistent save data syncing
  • Difficulty unlocking purchased content

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode
  • More difficulty options
  • Improved new player onboarding
  • Expanded song library
  • Smoother account management

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Cytus

One-time10
  • Chapter N$1.49
  • Chapter 0$1.99
  • Chapter R$1.99
Show 7 more
  • Chapter T$1.99
  • Chapter D$1.99
  • Chapter L$3.99
  • Chapter 8$4.99
  • Chapter S$4.99
  • Chapter 10$4.99
  • Chapter K$4.99
11 purchases

Paradigm

One-time11
  • Single "Encore"$0.99
  • Single "On And On!!"$0.99
  • Single "Subterranean Blastoff"$0.99
Show 8 more
  • 20 Active Crystal$0.99
  • Side Album "Duplex Fusion"$3.99
  • Side Album "Still Existence"$3.99
  • Solo Album "Vivacious Party"$3.99
  • Main Story Album Chapter 2$4.99
  • 110 Active Crystal$4.99
  • 450 Active Crystal$19.99
  • 1200 Active Crystal$49.99

Questions

Is Cytus free?
Cytus costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Paradigm free?
Paradigm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cytus or Paradigm?
Cytus is rated higher. Cytus averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Paradigm averages 4.7 from 268 ratings.
Do Cytus or Paradigm have ads?
Neither Cytus nor Paradigm shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cytus or Paradigm?
Cytus ships an update every 4 months, and Paradigm every 3 weeks. Most recently, Cytus was updated on September 25, 2026 and Paradigm on September 24, 2026.

Other comparisons