# Hearthstone vs Dawncaster

The clearest difference is price: Hearthstone at Free against Dawncaster's $4.99. Hearthstone also leads on ratings volume (122K vs 924). Dawncaster's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 36%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.1). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Hearthstone is free to download; Dawncaster costs $4.99 up front. Hearthstone sells 21 one-off in-app purchases and Dawncaster sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dawncaster holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearthstone has 122K ratings behind it against 924, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Hearthstone's written reviews are positive against 80% of Dawncaster's.

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, Dawncaster every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hearthstone | Dawncaster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.1 (122K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearthstone/id625257520/reviews) | **[4.7 (924 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dawncaster-deckbuilding-rpg/id1555459868/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **122K** | 924 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **80.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #46 | **#10** |
| Size | 855 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306862900) | [Rick van der Wal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1534294329) |

## What reviewers say

### Hearthstone

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

**Currently charting:** #46 Top Grossing · Card, #58 Top Grossing · Strategy, #203 Top Free · Strategy (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


### Dawncaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dawncaster-deckbuilding-rpg/id1555459868)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Card, #16 Top Paid · Role Playing, #156 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Embark on a tactical deck-building adventure with over 900 illustrated cards. Explore a mysterious world, master unique class abilities, and forge your own path through a rich narrative. Enjoy a complete premium experience with no ads or microtransactions.

**Highlights:** Over 900 hand-illustrated cards, Unique class abilities, Innovative energy system, Richly illustrated world, Randomized encounters, Unlockable content

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vaul of the Void Promo Pack | Free | one-time |
| Synthesis Support Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Infinitum Support Banner | $3.99 | one-time |
| Eclypse Supporter Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Buy the devs a coffee | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tribes of Twilight | $4.99 | one-time |
| Death of Divinity | $4.99 | one-time |
| Masks of Misery | $4.99 | one-time |
| Siege of Shadows | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dawncaster Origins Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Nexus of Nightmares | $5.99 | one-time |
| Infernal Invasions | $5.99 | one-time |
| Dawncaster Mega Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Constant updates
- 🔥 Addictive gameplay loop
- 🔍 Discovering new secrets
- 💎 Excellent value for money
- 🎨 Beautiful art and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Steep learning curve
- 🔁 Repetitive enemy and boss encounters
- 🕰️ Slow progression and unlock system
- 🔧 Unbalanced difficulty spikes

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after certain card interactions
- Incorrect card behavior or descriptions
- Progression loss after updates
- Compatibility issues on newer devices

**Requested features**

- Endless or challenge mode
- More language support (e.g. Chinese, Spanish, Russian)
- Improved tutorial and onboarding
- Ability to toggle DLC content on/off
- Checkpoints or save states during runs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hearthstone free?

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

### Is Dawncaster free?

Dawncaster costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or Dawncaster?

Dawncaster is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.1 out of 5 from 122K ratings, while Dawncaster averages 4.7 from 924 ratings.

### Do Hearthstone or Dawncaster have ads?

Neither Hearthstone nor Dawncaster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or Dawncaster?

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, and Dawncaster every 10 days. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on September 30, 2026 and Dawncaster on September 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Hearthstone or Dawncaster?

Hearthstone currently peaks at #46 in the App Store charts, and Dawncaster at #10. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*