# Hearthstone vs Blue Archive

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Hearthstone at 122K against Blue Archive's 5.5K. Hearthstone also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks) and chart position (#39 vs unranked). Blue Archive's advantage is review sentiment (47% vs 36%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hearthstone sells 21 one-off in-app purchases and Blue Archive sells 25 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 4.0 for Blue Archive. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearthstone has 122K ratings behind it against 5.5K, 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 47% of Blue Archive's.

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, Blue Archive every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hearthstone | Blue Archive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (122K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearthstone/id625257520/reviews)** | [4.0 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-archive/id1571873795/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **122K** | 5.5K |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **47.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#39** | — |
| Size | 889 MB | 426 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306862900) | [NEXON Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/523546006) |

## What reviewers say

### Hearthstone

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

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Grossing · Card, #48 Top Grossing · Strategy, #208 Top Free · Strategy, #209 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


### Blue Archive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-archive/id1571873795)

Lead charming allies in strategic 3D real-time battles within a vast academy city. Uncover thrilling stories of friendship and adventure while deepening bonds with your characters through in-game interactions. Build special memories and resolve endless incidents.

**Highlights:** 3D real-time battles, Strategic team management, Character relationship building, In-game messenger (Momo Talk), Unpredictable main story, Sub stories and club activities

**In-app purchases (25)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New Sensei Welcome Pack | $0.39 | one-time |
| New Teacher Pyroxene Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Weekly AP Pack | $1.69 | one-time |
| Recruitment Support Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Pyroxene Half Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2-Week AP Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Pyroxene Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| StartDash 3-Star Ticket | $11.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Activity Report Pack | $11.99 | one-time |
| StartDash 3-Star Ticket Ⅱ | $11.99 | one-time |
| 3-Star Guaranteed Recruit Pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| HiddenRuins 3Start Select Pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Code:BOX 3-Star AttackTypePack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Midnight Party LuckyPouchPack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Sheside 3-Star Guaranteed Pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Sheside 3-Star Selective Pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| aLIVE! 3-Star Guaranteed Pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| aLIVE! Lucky Pouch Pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Pyroxene x2352 | $18.99 | one-time |
| 3-Star DivisionRecruitmentPack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Cyber New Year LuckyPouchPack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Pyroxene x6,600 | $64.99 | one-time |
| Pyroxene x4800 | $64.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Pyroxene x6,600 | $64.99 | one-time |
| Pyroxene x8000 | $64.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging story and characters
- 🎨 Excellent art and animations
- 🎶 Great soundtrack
- 🎮 Unique and fun gameplay
- 💰 Generous with in-game currency

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 💸 Gacha rates are poor, 200 pulls for pity
- 🤖 Auto-play makes gameplay too passive
- 🤕 Concerns over censorship and broken promises

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when entering certain menus or battles
- Pyroxene (currency) disappearing after pulls
- Notifications causing crashes on iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Improve gacha rates and pity system
- Reduce loading times and crashes
- Add more player control in battles
- Improve PvP mechanics and matchmaking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hearthstone free?

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

### Is Blue Archive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or Blue Archive?

Hearthstone is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.1 out of 5 from 122K ratings, while Blue Archive averages 4.0 from 5.5K ratings.

### Do Hearthstone or Blue Archive have ads?

Neither Hearthstone nor Blue Archive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or Blue Archive?

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, and Blue Archive every 5 weeks. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on October 19, 2026 and Blue Archive on October 19, 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.*