# Cato's Hike vs PatternForge

The clearest difference is price: PatternForge at Free against Cato's Hike's $5.99. PatternForge also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (100% vs 64%). Cato's Hike's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (48 vs 1). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

PatternForge is free to download; Cato's Hike costs $5.99 up front. PatternForge sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Cato's Hike asks for nothing beyond the download.

PatternForge holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cato's Hike has 48 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Cato's Hike's written reviews are positive against 100% of PatternForge's.

Cato's Hike ships an update fortnightly, PatternForge every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cato's Hike | PatternForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catos-hike/id574335479/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patternforge-chess-tactics/id6760562677/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **48** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 38 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hesham Wahba](https://appshunter.io/developer/358331461) | [ZYAGA LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860895535) |

## What reviewers say

### Cato's Hike

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catos-hike/id574335479)

Embark on a programming adventure where you guide a young boy through a new world by creating programs. Learn fundamental coding concepts like loops and branches through engaging puzzles and a visual interface. Create and share your own challenges with a powerful map editor.

**Highlights:** Visual programming interface with cards, Introduction to loops, branches, and memory, 60 levels and 12 tutorials, Map editor for creating and sharing puzzles, Save and preview custom maps, Email puzzle solutions and maps

**In-app purchases:** none


### PatternForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patternforge-chess-tactics/id6760562677)

This app uses spaced repetition to help you master chess tactics. Solve puzzles adapted to your skill level, review them on a schedule, and import your own games to turn mistakes into training opportunities. Create custom puzzle sets to focus on specific patterns and improve your game.

**Highlights:** Spaced repetition training, Adaptive puzzle difficulty, Game import from Chess.com/Lichess, Custom puzzle sets, Theme-based training, Progress tracking

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cato's Hike free?

Cato's Hike costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PatternForge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cato's Hike or PatternForge?

PatternForge is rated higher. Cato's Hike averages 4.1 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while PatternForge averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Cato's Hike or PatternForge have ads?

Neither Cato's Hike nor PatternForge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cato's Hike or PatternForge?

Cato's Hike ships an update fortnightly, and PatternForge every 2 days. Most recently, Cato's Hike was updated on October 16, 2026 and PatternForge on October 2, 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.*