Comparison

Hearthstone vs Duel Counter

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

Duel Counter

Manage life points and build custom decks for the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game. This app simplifies tracking game progress and organizing your card collections for strategic play.

Highlights
  • Life point tracking for two players
  • Virtual deck builder
  • Deck management and saving
  • Share decks with friends
  • Intuitive user interface
  • Supports multiple deck strategies
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Duel Counter, the ultimate app for all Yu-Gi-Oh players out there! This powerful app is designed to help you track your life points and build/manage your decks with ease. With Duel Counter, you can easily keep track of two player's life points during a game. You no longer have to worry about forgetting how much damage you took or deal to your opponent. The app will do all the hard work for you and help you focus on the game itself. But that's not all. Duel Counter also comes with a virtual deck builder and manager that allows you to build and manage your decks with ease. You can easily add, remove, and edit cards in your deck, save multiple decks for different strategies, and even share your decks with your friends. The app also features a simple and intuitive user interface, making it easy for anyone to use. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned Yu-Gi-Oh player, Duel Counter has everything you need to take your game to the next level. So, what are you waiting for? Download Duel Counter today and start dominating your opponents like a true duelist!

Screenshots

Hearthstone4 screens
Duel Counter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Hearthstone at 123K against Duel Counter's 10. Hearthstone also leads on chart position (#46 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). Duel Counter's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 Duel Counter sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Duel Counter holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearthstone has 123K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hearthstone ships an update every 2 weeks, Duel Counter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Hearthstone versus Duel Counter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHearthstoneDuel Counter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (123K ratings)4.5 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings123K — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#46 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size890 MB17 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperBlizzard Entertainment, Inc.Roman Dauer

Customer experience

Hearthstone

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

Duel Counter

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%

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

Duel Counter

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
5 purchases

Duel Counter

Subscriptions1
  • Duel Counter Pro$1.991 Month
One-time4
  • Bananas$0.99
  • Cup of coffee$1.99
  • Beer$3.99
Show 1 more
  • Pizza time!$8.99

Questions

Is Hearthstone free?
Hearthstone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Duel Counter free?
Duel Counter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or Duel Counter?
Duel Counter is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.2 out of 5 from 123K ratings, while Duel Counter averages 4.5 from 10 ratings.
Do Hearthstone or Duel Counter have ads?
Neither Hearthstone nor Duel Counter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or Duel Counter?
Hearthstone ships an update every 2 weeks, and Duel Counter fortnightly. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on October 28, 2026 and Duel Counter on October 24, 2026.

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