Comparison

Hearthstone vs The Arena Draft

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hearthstone

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
Read full description

Battle as legendary Warcraft heroes in Hearthstone®, Blizzard Entertainment's award-winning free-to-play* strategy card game. Build powerful decks, collect iconic cards, discover game-changing combos, and outsmart opponents in epic card battles! ONE GAME. COUNTLESS WAYS TO PLAY. Whether you're new to collectible card games (CCG) or a seasoned strategist, Hearthstone offers an experience for every kind of player. Challenge friends, test your skills against opponents from around the world, or enjoy solo adventures at your own pace. Every match is packed with opportunities to learn, experiment, and sharpen your skills. Develop strategies that fit your playstyle, craft Legendary cards, and discover new possibilities as your collection grows. Easy to learn and rewarding to master, Hearthstone offers fresh challenges with every game. Play online across mobile and PC with your Hearthstone collection and progress synced between devices. Whether you have a few minutes for a quick match or you're ready to climb the competitive ladder, your next match is always within reach. Collect. Build. Play. CLIMB TO LEGEND • Battle players from around the world in strategic online PvP duels. • Build winning decks, evolve your strategy, and climb all the way to Legend. • Earn seasonal rewards and prove your mastery every month. HONE YOUR CRAFT • Take on solo adventures, complete quests, and discover new mechanics at your own pace. • Draft a unique deck in Arena from a changing selection of cards, then test your strategy against other players. • Returning player? Wild mode lets you play with all your cards! OUTSMART RIVALS • Recruit powerful minions, build your warband, and compete against seven other players in Hearthstone's signature Battlegrounds auto-battler mode. • Adapt every turn, discover powerful synergies, and be the last player standing. • No two matches play the same. EMBRACE THE CHAOS • Jump into Tavern Brawl, where unique rules, unexpected twists, and special rewards keep every Brawl fresh. CHOOSE YOUR HERO • Battle as legendary Warcraft heroes across 11 distinct classes. • Each class features its own Hero Power, signature mechanics, and unique strategies. • Whether you prefer aggressive attacks, careful planning, or clever combos, there's a class for you. Complete quests, earn rewards, and discover new cards with every expansion. Regular balance updates, seasonal events, major expansions, and limited-time experiences keep Hearthstone fresh for newcomers and veterans alike. Experience the magic, mischief, and mayhem in this epic fantasy CCG. Battle friends, challenge online opponents, and join millions of players around the hearth. Play Hearthstone today! *In-game purchases are optional. ©/TM/® 2026 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc

About

The Arena Draft

Practice building Hearthstone Arena decks and save them to import into the game. Easily share your creations with friends for friendly battles. This companion tool is completely free and ad-free.

Highlights
  • Draft Arena decks
  • Save decks
  • Import decks into Hearthstone
  • Play with friends
  • Free to use
  • No ads
Features
Read full description

The Arena Draft lets you practice your deck building skills and save your Arena decks in Hearthstone to battle friends. • Draft an Arena deck using cards from your collection • Import and save your deck into Hearthstone • Use your Arena decks to play with friends • 100% free • No ads Hearthstone assets used in this app are copyrighted and/or trademarked material of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. This app is not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Screenshots

Hearthstone4 screens
The Arena Draft4 screens

Verdict

The call

Hearthstone and The Arena Draft both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 36% of Hearthstone's written reviews are positive against 0% of The Arena Draft's. Hearthstone also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (122K vs 8). The Arena Draft's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 32) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Hearthstone sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. The Arena Draft asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Hearthstone against 4.1 for The Arena Draft. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearthstone has 122K ratings behind it against 8, 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 0% of The Arena Draft's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, The Arena Draft every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Hearthstone versus The Arena Draft: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHearthstoneThe Arena Draft
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (122K ratings)4.1 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews35.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings122K — better8
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#37 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size889 MB195 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBlizzard Entertainment, Inc.Robert Burton

Customer experience

Hearthstone

All ratings122,117 ratings
Positive78.5%
Neutral3.3%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews4,856 reviews
Positive35.7%
Neutral9.1%
Negative55.2%

The Arena Draft

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Hearthstone

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

The Arena Draft

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

21 purchases

Hearthstone

One-time21
  • Arena Admission$1.99
  • Bundle of 2 Classic Packs$2.99
  • Welcome Bundle$4.99
Show 18 more
  • Welcome Bundle of 10 Classic Packs + Classic Legendary Card$4.99
  • 500 Runestones$4.99
  • Hero Skin2 variants$6.99
  • Bundle of 7 Grand Tournament Packs$9.99
  • Bundle of 7 Classic Packs$9.99
  • Bundle of 7 "Whispers of the Old Gods" Packs$9.99
  • Hero Skin Bundle$9.99
  • Packs Bundle$14.99
  • BG Season Pass$14.99
  • Tavern Pass5 variants$19.99
  • BG Season Pass5 variants$19.99
  • Bundle of 15 Classic Packs$19.99
  • Bundle: All 4 League of Explorers Wings$19.99
  • Packs Bundle$24.99
  • Packs Bundle$39.99
  • Bundle of 40 Classic Packs$49.99
  • Packs Bundle2 variants$59.99
  • Hero Skin Bundle2 variants$89.99
None

The Arena Draft

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hearthstone free?
Hearthstone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Arena Draft free?
The Arena Draft is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or The Arena Draft?
Hearthstone and The Arena Draft are both rated 4.1 out of 5 on the App Store, from 122K and 8 ratings respectively.
Do Hearthstone or The Arena Draft have ads?
Neither Hearthstone nor The Arena Draft shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or The Arena Draft?
Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, and The Arena Draft every 4 months. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on October 17, 2026 and The Arena Draft on October 12, 2026.

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