# Hearthstone vs TCGSim

The clearest difference is rating: Hearthstone at 4.1 against TCGSim's 3.0. Hearthstone also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). 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.

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.

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.

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, TCGSim every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hearthstone | TCGSim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (122K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearthstone/id625257520/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **122K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#45** | — |
| Size | 855 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306862900) | [Kenta Hayakawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681275019) |

## What reviewers say

### Hearthstone

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

**Currently charting:** #45 Top Grossing · Card, #55 Top Grossing · Strategy, #199 Top Free · Strategy, #200 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


### TCGSim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Custom Field Image | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Custom Card Back | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Deck Slots | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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 25, 2026 and TCGSim on June 7, 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.*