Comparison

Hearthstone vs TCGSim

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

TCGSim

Practice popular trading card games solo with this easy-to-use app. It supports deck tuning, strategy research, and includes features like free card manipulation and dice rolls. Customize your experience with optional in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Solo play for 1-2 player fields
  • Free card manipulation
  • Deck and card management
  • Import decks via codes/CSV
  • Dice roll and coin toss
  • Customizable backgrounds
Features
Read full description

A must-have app for TCG players! This app is a simple and easy-to-use solo play app for popular trading card games. Use it for deck tuning and strategy research. Supported TCG Examples: - Yu-Gi-Oh! - Pokémon TCG (Pokémon Card) - Duel Masters *This app is a non-official app for each TCG. Key Features: - Solo play (supports 1-player and 2-player fields) - Free card manipulation - Deck management (create/edit/delete) - Card management (create/edit/delete) – up to 500 cards - Download cards/decks from deck codes or CSV files - Dice roll / coin toss functions In-App Purchases (Optional): - Remove ads - Increase deck registration limit - Customize card back images Customize field background images *For the setting method, please refer to the X (old twitter) account below. https://twitter.com/TCGSim

Screenshots

Hearthstone4 screens
TCGSim4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Hearthstone at 4.1 against TCGSim's 3.0. Hearthstone also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (122K vs 2). TCGSim's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 36%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 and TCGSim sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hearthstone holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hearthstone has 122K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Hearthstone's written reviews are positive against 78% of TCGSim's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, TCGSim every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Hearthstone versus TCGSim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHearthstoneTCGSim
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (122K ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews35.9% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings122K — better2
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#47 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size855 MB167 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBlizzard Entertainment, Inc.Kenta Hayakawa

Customer experience

Hearthstone

All ratings121,573 ratings
Positive78.5%
Neutral3.3%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews4,725 reviews
Positive35.9%
Neutral9.1%
Negative54.9%

TCGSim

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral22.2%
Negative0.0%

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

TCGSim

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
4 purchases

TCGSim

One-time4
  • Unlock Custom Field Image$1.99
  • Unlock Custom Card Back$1.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Unlock Deck Slots$2.99

Questions

Is Hearthstone free?
Hearthstone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TCGSim free?
TCGSim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or TCGSim?
Hearthstone is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.1 out of 5 from 122K ratings, while TCGSim averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Hearthstone or TCGSim have ads?
TCGSim shows ads; Hearthstone does not.
Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or TCGSim?
Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, and TCGSim every 3 months. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on September 24, 2026 and TCGSim on June 7, 2026.

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