Comparison

Hearthstone vs Yu

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

Yu

Engage in fast-paced digital card duels with stunning graphics and a dynamic soundtrack. Learn to play with tutorials, collect cards, and compete in tournaments worldwide. Explore lore through solo mode and refine your strategies with deck-building tools.

Highlights
  • Fast-paced duels with HD graphics
  • In-game tutorials for new players
  • Collect over 10,000 unique cards
  • Rotating tournament formats
  • Story-driven solo mode
  • Link with Yu-Gi-Oh! Neuron app
  • Sample draw feature
Read full description

Finally, the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" digital card game you've been waiting for! The definitive edition of the competitive card game that has been evolving for over 25 years! Duel at the highest level against Duelists from all over the world. Get ready: it's time to Duel! --------------------------------------------------------------- [About "Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL"] Fast-paced Duels with stunning HD graphics and a new, dynamic soundtrack! Get ready to challenge Duelists around the world! ◇Play Duels at Any Level! The full Yu-Gi-Oh! experience is available for anyone at any Skill Level. Don't worry if you're a new player or if you haven't Dueled in a while, the in-game tutorials will teach you the basics on how to play the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME. You'll be given a Deck when you finish to help you start your journey! Collect new cards as you progress through the game to power up your Decks! ◇Rotating Tournament Formats Mix it up and put your Dueling skills to the test! A wide variety of events and tournaments will be available for players. Build and Duel with different Decks utilizing 10,000+ unique cards and special rules unique to Tournaments! Choose the tournament YOU want to Duel in and aim for that number one spot! ◇Uncover the Stories Behind the Cards The Solo Mode guides you through storylines of the themes from the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. Hone your Dueling skills by completing the stories. Recommended for beginners, returning players, and those of you who are interested in learning more about the lore of the world of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG ◇Features Link with the mobile app "Yu-Gi-Oh! Neuron." View Decklists from Duelists worldwide and improve your own Deck! Try the sample draw feature to simulate what cards you could get in your first hand! [About "Yu-Gi-Oh!"] "Yu-Gi-Oh!" is a popular manga created by Kazuki Takahashi that was serialized in SHUEISHA Inc.'s "WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP" since 1996. Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. provides a Trading Card Game (TCG) and console games, based on "Yu-Gi-Oh!"created from the original manga, that has been enjoyed around the world. [Recommended for the following players] TCG players Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS players Players who enjoy competitive gameplay --------------------------------------------------------------- This game contains in-game purchases of virtual currencies used for gaining in-game items at random. ===== [System Requirements] iOS 15.0 and above Supported device: Compatible with iPhone 11 and later, iPad, and iPod touch. Please note that even if your device fulfills the system specification required to run the application, it may not run properly due to external factors, such as available memory, conflicts with other applications, or hardware limitations.

Screenshots

Hearthstone4 screens
Yu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Yu at 4.9 against Hearthstone's 4.2. Yu also leads on review sentiment (47% vs 36%). Hearthstone's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 and Yu sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Yu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 123K and 88K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Hearthstone's written reviews are positive against 47% of Yu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hearthstone ships an update every 2 weeks, Yu every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Hearthstone versus Yu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHearthstoneYu
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (123K ratings)4.9 (88K ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.0% of reviews46.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings123K — better88K
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#48 — better#57
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size890 MB336 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBlizzard Entertainment, Inc.KONAMI

Customer experience

Hearthstone

All ratings122,631 ratings
Positive78.6%
Neutral3.3%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews4,926 reviews
Positive36.0%
Neutral9.1%
Negative55.0%

Yu

All ratings88,054 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral0.7%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews2,195 reviews
Positive46.6%
Neutral8.0%
Negative45.4%

User reviews

Hearthstone

From 123K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Yu

From 88K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Closest to real TCG experience
  • 🤩 Nostalgic for old-school players
  • 💎 Generous with in-game currency
  • 🎨 Great graphics and animations

Room to improve

  • ⏱️ Excessively long turns
  • 🤖 Rampant use of bots
  • 🤯 Overwhelming for new players
  • 🤑 Feels pay-to-win at higher ranks

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

Yu

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Account data randomly deleted
  • Connectivity issues and disconnects

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more solo/offline content
  • Implement a casual game mode
  • Improve deck-building interface
  • Add controller support
  • Introduce different gameplay formats

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
21 purchases

Yu

One-time21
  • Gem Pack 60 + 1 UR 30% Card2 variants$1.19
  • Gem Pack 67$1.19
  • Gem Pack 140$2.29
Show 18 more
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 333$3.39
  • Gem Pack 285 + 1 UR Card3 variants$4.49
  • Gem Pack 360$5.69
  • Welcome Gem Pack 1000$8.49
  • Gem Pack 700$10.99
  • Welcome Gem Pack 1500$10.99
  • Welcome Gem Pack 1500$11.99
  • Welcome Gem Pack 2000$16.99
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 20006 variants$21.49
  • Gem Pack 1420$21.49
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 20002 variants$22.49
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 3000$23.99
  • Gem Pack 1400$24.99
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 2500$25.49
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 25002 variants$26.99
  • Limited-Time Gem Pack 30002 variants$27.49
  • Gem Pack 2350$34.99
  • Gem Pack 4950$70.99

Questions

Is Hearthstone free?
Hearthstone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Yu free?
Yu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or Yu?
Yu is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.2 out of 5 from 123K ratings, while Yu averages 4.9 from 88K ratings.
Do Hearthstone or Yu have ads?
Yu shows ads; Hearthstone does not.
Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or Yu?
Hearthstone ships an update every 2 weeks, and Yu every 3 months. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on October 29, 2026 and Yu on October 29, 2026.
Which is more popular, Hearthstone or Yu?
Hearthstone currently peaks at #48 in the App Store charts, and Yu at #57. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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