# Blackbird! vs Hearts XT

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hearts XT at none against Blackbird!'s 2. Hearts XT also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 70%). Blackbird!'s advantage is ratings volume (7K vs 26) and price ($2.99 vs $5.99). On rating, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Blackbird! costs $2.99 and Hearts XT $5.99 up front. Blackbird! sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Hearts XT asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Blackbird! against 4.7 for Hearts XT. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackbird! has 7K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Blackbird!'s written reviews are positive against 90% of Hearts XT's.

Blackbird! ships an update every 2 months, Hearts XT every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackbird! | Hearts XT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbird/id563960217/reviews)** | [4.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearts-xt/id1378318339/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7K** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **90.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | #111 |
| Size | 14 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [R. Don Wilson](https://appshunter.io/developer/563960220) | [Isar Interactive GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1065434583) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackbird!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbird/id563960217)

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Paid · Casino, #83 Top Paid · Card (US App Store)

Experience a classic trick-taking card game with customizable rules and competitive AI. Bid strategically, take tricks, and achieve your goals to win. Track your progress with detailed statistics and unlock achievements.

**Highlights:** Classic trick-taking gameplay, Customizable rule sets, AI opponents, Achievement system, Detailed statistics tracking, Multiple rule variations

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Christmas Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Independence Day Theme | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun game
- 👍 Customizable rules
- 👍 Accurate to real Rook game
- 👍 Great for practicing Rook skills
- 👍 Brings back nostalgic memories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Partner AI plays poorly
- 🐛 Opponents seem to have unfair advantage
- 🐛 Inability to continue saved games
- 🐛 Rook card not played correctly
- 🐛 Buggy multiplayer experience

**Reported bugs**

- Forced to take bid even when undesirable
- Inability to reverse trump or discard mistakes
- Inconsistent card dealing
- Multiplayer crashes and glitches
- Themes and settings not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer mode to play with friends
- Option to call your own partner
- Ability to shoot the moon
- Customizable nest size
- More rule variations


### Hearts XT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearts-xt/id1378318339)

**Currently charting:** #111 Top Paid · Casino (US App Store)

Experience the classic card game Hearts with intelligent AI opponents or connect with friends online. Customize your game with various backgrounds, characters, and difficulty levels. Features include statistics, hints, and automatic saving.

**Highlights:** Smart computer opponents, Online multiplayer with friends, Customizable game backgrounds and characters, Scalable difficulty levels, Assistance for beginners (Undo, Hints, Rules), Automatic save functionality, User and computer player statistics

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackbird! free?

Blackbird! costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Hearts XT free?

Hearts XT costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Blackbird! or Hearts XT?

Blackbird! is rated higher. Blackbird! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7K ratings, while Hearts XT averages 4.7 from 26 ratings.

### Do Blackbird! or Hearts XT have ads?

Neither Blackbird! nor Hearts XT shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blackbird! or Hearts XT?

Blackbird! ships an update every 2 months, and Hearts XT every 4 months. Most recently, Blackbird! was updated on November 6, 2026 and Hearts XT on November 6, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Blackbird! or Hearts XT?

Blackbird! currently peaks at #21 in the App Store charts, and Hearts XT at #111. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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