# Subway Surfers vs Archero

Subway Surfers and Archero both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Subway Surfers's written reviews are positive against 46% of Archero's. Subway Surfers also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (3.8M vs 470K). Archero's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Subway Surfers sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Archero sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Subway Surfers against 4.7 for Archero. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subway Surfers has 3.8M ratings behind it against 470K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Subway Surfers's written reviews are positive against 46% of Archero's.

Subway Surfers ships an update weekly, Archero every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subway Surfers | Archero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (3.8M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-surfers/id512939461/reviews) | **[4.7 (470K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archero/id1453651052/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.8M** | 470K |
| Positive reviews | **86.5% of reviews** | 45.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#6** | #74 |
| Size | 407 MB | 1.6 GB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sybo Games ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/471259040) | [HABBY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422308796) |

## What reviewers say

### Subway Surfers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-surfers/id512939461)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Free · Action, #21 Top Free · Casual, #37 Top Free · Games, #106 Top Grossing · Action (US App Store)

Embark on an exhilarating endless running adventure. Dash through vibrant environments, dodge obstacles, and outrun pursuers. Utilize power-ups like jetpacks and hoverboards to enhance your escape and achieve high scores.

**Highlights:** Endless running gameplay, Dodge oncoming trains, Grind trains, Colorful HD graphics, Hoverboard surfing, Paint powered jetpack

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 7,500 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 12 500 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 45,000 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Double Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 65 000 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 25 Keys | $4.99 | one-time |
| 40 Keys | $4.99 | one-time |
| Key Pack 1 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 📱 Works well offline
- 🎨 Diverse characters and themes
- 🎢 Challenging and fast-paced
- 🎁 Rewarding progression system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Frequent updates can be disruptive
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🕹️ Difficulty controlling character at times
- 🔍 Lack of save/sync across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes after updates
- Disappearing high scores and progress
- Unresponsive controls during gameplay
- Ads that redirect to App Store unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Ability to save progress across devices
- More customization options for characters
- Difficulty settings or modes
- Multiplayer/competitive features
- Reduced ad frequency or ad-free option


### Archero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/archero/id1453651052)

**Currently charting:** #74 Top Grossing · Action, #177 Top Grossing · Casual (US App Store)

Embark on an epic adventure as a lone archer, battling relentless waves of monsters and overcoming challenging obstacles. Discover unique skill combinations and explore diverse worlds to survive the onslaught. Prepare for a roguelike experience where every run is different.

**Highlights:** Random and unique skill combinations, Explore diverse worlds and maps, Defeat thousands of monsters and obstacles, Level-up and equip powerful gear, Dungeon crawling gameplay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Card | $2.99 | per month |
| Pile of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Growth Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Lucky Ball Pack01 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack for First Purchase | $1.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack for C1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Heap of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack for Chapter 2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack for Chapter 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass 2 | $16.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent gameplay
- 👍 Optional ads for rewards
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 👍 Engaging and addictive
- 🚀 Frequent updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🔋 Energy system too restrictive
- 💰 Progression gated by pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy at times
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not loading properly
- Progression data loss or reset
- Hitbox and collision detection issues
- Certain levels or bosses unbeatable

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer or co-op mode
- More varied level and enemy design
- Ability to reroll or select power-ups
- Increased drop rates for better gear
- Reduced energy requirements or removal of system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subway Surfers free?

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

### Is Archero free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Subway Surfers or Archero?

Archero is rated higher. Subway Surfers averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.8M ratings, while Archero averages 4.7 from 470K ratings.

### Do Subway Surfers or Archero have ads?

Subway Surfers shows ads; Archero does not.

### Which is updated more often, Subway Surfers or Archero?

Subway Surfers ships an update weekly, and Archero every 9 days. Most recently, Subway Surfers was updated on September 25, 2026 and Archero on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Subway Surfers or Archero?

Subway Surfers currently peaks at #6 in the App Store charts, and Archero at #74. 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.*