# 8 Ball Pool™ vs Pool Royale

The clearest difference is ads: Pool Royale at none against 8 Ball Pool™'s shown. Pool Royale also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). 8 Ball Pool™'s advantage is ratings volume (4.8M vs 3) and chart position (#2 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 8 Ball Pool™ sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Pool Royale sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for 8 Ball Pool™ against 4.7 for Pool Royale. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8 Ball Pool™ has 4.8M ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

8 Ball Pool™ ships an update fortnightly, Pool Royale every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8 Ball Pool™ | Pool Royale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.8M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8-ball-pool/id543186831/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-royale-3d-pool/id1531063871/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.8M** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 73.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 211 MB | 245 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Miniclip.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/337457683) | [TAPMYADS TECHNOLOGIES PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469526528) |

## What reviewers say

### 8 Ball Pool™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8-ball-pool/id543186831)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Free · Sports, #4 Top Free · Simulation, #4 Top Grossing · Sports, #16 Top Grossing · Simulation, #54 Top Free · Games, #132 Top Grossing · Games (US App Store)

Engage in challenging 3D pool games against friends and players worldwide. Master your aiming and strategy to win matches, earn coins, and unlock exclusive items. Compete in leagues and tournaments to become a pool master.

**Highlights:** Online multiplayer PvP mode, Challenge friends directly, Customize cues and tables, Earn Pool Coins, Compete in leagues and tournaments, Level system for matchmaking

**Features:** iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium Membership | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Golden Spin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stack of Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 Scratch and Win Scratchers | $1.99 | one-time |
| Stack of Cash | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3 Golden Shots | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pool Pass | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent pool simulation
- 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 🌍 Ability to play with people worldwide
- 🏆 Competitive tournaments and leagues
- 💰 Reasonable free-to-play model

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Rampant cheating and use of hacks
- ⚖️ Unfair matchmaking and skill-based pairing
- 💰 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Frequent glitches, bugs, and server issues
- 🔍 Lack of effective reporting/moderation system

**Reported bugs**

- Coins disappearing or not being awarded correctly
- Cue sticks and visual elements becoming invisible
- Game freezing or disconnecting during critical moments
- Inconsistent ball physics and unpredictable shot outcomes
- Incorrect scoring and incorrect game outcomes

**Requested features**

- Improved anti-cheat measures
- Skill-based matchmaking system
- Better organization and management of cues/items
- Ability to challenge and play with friends
- More transparent and fair reward/progression system


### Pool Royale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pool-royale-3d-pool/id1531063871)

Experience realistic 3D pool with console-level graphics and physics. Compete in online multiplayer tournaments, challenge friends, and hone your skills in various game modes. Customize your cues and climb the leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Realistic 3D pool physics, Online multiplayer PvP matches, Tournament style gameplay, Single player practice and AI modes, Extensive cue customization, Console-level graphics, Race to match concepts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 500 Gold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginners Dash | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials Kit | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Gold | $5.99 | one-time |
| Experts Dash | $7.99 | one-time |
| 4250 Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| Starters Kit | $14.99 | one-time |
| Basic Kit | $19.99 | one-time |
| Masters Dash | $24.99 | one-time |
| Pool Chest | $69.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8 Ball Pool™ free?

8 Ball Pool™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pool Royale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 8 Ball Pool™ or Pool Royale?

8 Ball Pool™ is rated higher. 8 Ball Pool™ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.8M ratings, while Pool Royale averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do 8 Ball Pool™ or Pool Royale have ads?

8 Ball Pool™ shows ads; Pool Royale does not.

### Which is updated more often, 8 Ball Pool™ or Pool Royale?

8 Ball Pool™ ships an update fortnightly, and Pool Royale every 2 weeks. Most recently, 8 Ball Pool™ was updated on October 21, 2026 and Pool Royale on October 7, 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.*