# Avernum HD vs Arcane Quest HD

The clearest difference is price: Arcane Quest HD at Free against Avernum HD's $9.99. Arcane Quest HD also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and ratings volume (171 vs 45). Avernum HD's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Arcane Quest HD is free to download; Avernum HD costs $9.99 up front. Arcane Quest HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Avernum HD asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Avernum HD against 4.6 for Arcane Quest HD. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 171 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of Avernum HD's written reviews are positive against 85% of Arcane Quest HD's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Avernum HD | Arcane Quest HD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avernum-hd/id499730787/reviews)** | [4.6 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcane-quest-hd/id1190815527/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 45 | **171** |
| Positive reviews | **93.4% of reviews** | 84.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | Every 17 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 172 MB | 152 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Spiderweb Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/426522868) | [Nex Game Studios OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/933707613) |

## What reviewers say

### Avernum HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/avernum-hd/id499730787)

Embark on an epic fantasy role-playing adventure in a vast underworld. Explore enormous environments, uncover a fascinating story, and make choices that lead to freedom or revenge. This game offers over 30 hours of engaging gameplay.

**Highlights:** Epic fantasy role-playing adventure, Enormous underworld world, Fascinating story with 30+ hours of gameplay, Three separate game-winning quests, Dozens of side quests and magical artifacts, Rich game system with spells and character traits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great turn-based RPG
- 👍 Excellent alternative to D&D
- 👍 Massive world to explore
- 👍 Huge amount of content
- 👍 Fantastic game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🐛 Upside-down orientation on iPad Pro
- 🐛 Difficulty selecting enemies in combat
- 🐛 Frustrating pathfinding issues

**Reported bugs**

- Automatic party death at start of game
- Compatibility issues on older iPads

**Requested features**

- Pinch-to-zoom functionality
- Automatic saving during gameplay
- More quick spell slots
- iCloud save sync


### Arcane Quest HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcane-quest-hd/id1190815527)

Embark on a classic board game-style RPG adventure, reminiscent of 90s masterpieces. Battle monsters, customize heroes with spells and equipment, and explore hundreds of quests. Create and share your own adventures with the integrated quest editor.

**Highlights:** Classic board game RPG style, 8 legendary hero classes, Over 50 quests, Hero customization with equipment and spells, Quest editor to create and play custom adventures, Full 3D HD graphics

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Package | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful HeroQuest recreation
- 👍 Free to play
- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Simple mechanics, deep strategy
- 👍 Nostalgic feel

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Repetitive gameplay
- 🐛 Lack of persistent progression
- 🐛 Minor bugs
- 🐛 Some features not working as expected
- 🐛 Difficulty spikes/unclear difficulty

**Reported bugs**

- Scroll of Speed not working
- Invisible weapons (e.g., black sword)
- Weapons that shouldn't be usable with shields still can be
- Game closes when answering texts, losing progress
- Purchased items (e.g., +1 health ring) not working

**Requested features**

- More content/development
- Improved character progression across dungeons
- Better tutorial for scrolls and magic items
- Ability to sell potions and spells
- Character naming and appearance customization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Avernum HD free?

Avernum HD costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Arcane Quest HD free?

Arcane Quest HD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Avernum HD or Arcane Quest HD?

Avernum HD is rated higher. Avernum HD averages 4.7 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Arcane Quest HD averages 4.6 from 171 ratings.

### Do Avernum HD or Arcane Quest HD have ads?

Arcane Quest HD shows ads; Avernum HD does not.

### Which is updated more often, Avernum HD or Arcane Quest HD?

Avernum HD ships an update every 17 months, and Arcane Quest HD every 17 months. Most recently, Avernum HD was updated on October 23, 2026 and Arcane Quest HD on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*