# Hearthstone vs Shadowverse CCG

The clearest difference is ads: Hearthstone at none against Shadowverse CCG's shown. Hearthstone also leads on ratings volume (122K vs 1.9K) and chart position (#46 vs unranked). Shadowverse CCG's advantage is review sentiment (56% vs 36%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hearthstone sells 21 one-off in-app purchases and Shadowverse CCG sells 8 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 — 4.1 for Hearthstone against 4.2 for Shadowverse CCG. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearthstone has 122K ratings behind it against 1.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of Hearthstone's written reviews are positive against 56% of Shadowverse CCG's.

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, Shadowverse CCG every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hearthstone | Shadowverse CCG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (122K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearthstone/id625257520/reviews) | **[4.2 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowverse-ccg/id1091512762/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **122K** | 1.9K |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **55.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#46** | — |
| Size | 855 MB | 3.5 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306862900) | [Cygames, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/561598806) |

## What reviewers say

### Hearthstone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearthstone/id625257520)

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Grossing · Card, #59 Top Grossing · Strategy, #198 Top Free · Strategy, #207 Top Free · Card (US App Store)

Engage in a strategic card battle game where you collect powerful cards, build custom decks, and outwit opponents. Explore various game modes, from competitive PvP to solo adventures, all within the iconic Warcraft universe.

**Highlights:** Collectible battle cards, Deck building and customization, Strategic card battles, Multiple game modes (Standard, Wild, Battlegrounds), PvP and PvE challenges, Warcraft universe integration

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arena Admission | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of 2 Classic Packs | $2.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Bundle of 10 Classic Packs + Classic Legendary Card | $4.99 | one-time |
| 500 Runestones | $4.99 | one-time |
| Hero Skin | $6.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of 7 Grand Tournament Packs | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of 7 Classic Packs | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of 7 "Whispers of the Old Gods" Packs | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hero Skin Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Packs Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| BG Season Pass | $14.99 | one-time |
| Tavern Pass | $19.99 | one-time |
| BG Season Pass | $19.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of 15 Classic Packs | $19.99 | one-time |
| Bundle: All 4 League of Explorers Wings | $19.99 | one-time |
| Packs Bundle | $24.99 | one-time |
| Packs Bundle | $39.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of 40 Classic Packs | $49.99 | one-time |
| Packs Bundle | $59.99 | one-time |
| Hero Skin Bundle | $89.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Stunning visuals and animations
- 🕹️ Engaging strategic gameplay
- 🎁 Generous free-to-play model
- 🕰️ Endless replayability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive to stay competitive
- 🔁 Repetitive meta decks
- 🎲 Excessive RNG elements
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🕰️ Slow progression for free players

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes during gameplay
- Connectivity issues after updates
- Reward system not working as intended
- Unresponsive UI on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Improved matchmaking system
- More cooperative game modes
- Ability to trade or disenchant unwanted cards
- Reduced cost of new expansions
- Faster gold/dust earning for free players


### Shadowverse CCG

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowverse-ccg/id1091512762)

Engage in strategic, turn-based card battles against players worldwide or explore a voiced story mode. Master unique character classes and collect over 2000 illustrated cards. This AAA multiplayer game offers innovative mechanics for epic gameplay.

**Highlights:** Real-time multiplayer battles, Fully voiced story mode, Innovative battle mechanics, Eight unique character classes, Over 2000 illustrated cards, Strategic turn-based gameplay

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-Time Deal! 600-crystal set | $5.99 | one-time |
| One-time Deal! 800-crystal set | $7.99 | one-time |
| 1-Time Deal! 1000-crystal set | $15.99 | one-time |
| 1200-crystal set | $20.99 | one-time |
| 1200-crystal and Legendary set | $20.99 | one-time |
| 2400-crystal set | $39.99 | one-time |
| 5000-crystal set | $79.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer! 7500-crystal set (3 times per person) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful artwork and animations
- 🎁 Generous free-to-play model with many free packs
- 🕹️ Unique and strategic gameplay mechanics
- 🎬 Engaging story mode and voice acting
- 🤖 Challenging AI opponents in single-player

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🧠 Steep learning curve for new players
- 🤖 Unbalanced matchmaking against experienced players
- 🤑 Expensive to build multiple competitive decks
- 🧹 Repetitive and stale meta with overpowered decks

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes during gameplay
- Account recovery and data transfer issues
- Inability to reconnect after disconnection
- Bugs with certain card interactions and effects

**Requested features**

- Global chat to connect with other players
- More deck save slots and deckbuilding options
- Offline mode for single-player content
- Improved tutorial and onboarding for new players
- Better matchmaking and ranked system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hearthstone free?

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

### Is Shadowverse CCG free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or Shadowverse CCG?

Shadowverse CCG is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.1 out of 5 from 122K ratings, while Shadowverse CCG averages 4.2 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Hearthstone or Shadowverse CCG have ads?

Shadowverse CCG shows ads; Hearthstone does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or Shadowverse CCG?

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, and Shadowverse CCG every 3 weeks. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on September 25, 2026 and Shadowverse CCG on September 23, 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.*