# Hearthstone vs Backpack Brawl

The clearest difference is rating: Backpack Brawl at 4.7 against Hearthstone's 4.1. Backpack Brawl also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 36%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). Hearthstone's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (122K vs 5.8K). 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 Backpack Brawl sells 40 in-app purchases, starting at $2.69 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Backpack Brawl 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 5.8K, 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 64% of Backpack Brawl's.

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, Backpack Brawl every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hearthstone | Backpack Brawl |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (122K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearthstone/id625257520/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-brawl-hero-battles/id6479175676/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **122K** | 5.8K |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **63.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#44** | — |
| Size | 855 MB | 478 MB |
| 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) | [Azur Interactive Games Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296347323) |

## What reviewers say

### Hearthstone

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

**Currently charting:** #44 Top Grossing · Card, #56 Top Grossing · Strategy, #202 Top Free · Strategy, #205 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


### Backpack Brawl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-brawl-hero-battles/id6479175676)

Engage in strategic 1v1 auto-battles by mastering inventory management. Arrange weapons and artifacts to create powerful synergies and unleash devastating combos. Choose from diverse heroes and test your tactics against players worldwide.

**Highlights:** Strategic inventory management, Item crafting and merging, Diverse hero roster, Dynamic item placement, Competitive 1v1 PvP, Rewarding progression system

**In-app purchases (40)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $2.69 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| Cascade Offer | $0.29 | one-time |
| Cascade Offer | $0.49 | one-time |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Card Pack | $1.79 | one-time |
| Card Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cascade Offer | $2.69 | one-time |
| Tier 2 Flash Sale | $3.59 | one-time |
| Flash Sale | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hero Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |
| Dorf Pack - Small | $3.99 | one-time |
| Morrow Pack - Small | $3.99 | one-time |
| Spring Sale | $4.99 | one-time |
| Intro Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Celeste Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Enock Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sage Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Buzz Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tink Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Nymphedora Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Harkon Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tier 3 Flash Sale | $5.39 | one-time |
| Tier 3 Hero Unlock | $5.39 | one-time |
| Dorf Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Buzz Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Sage Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Enoch Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Morrow Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Hero Path | $8.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pass | $8.99 | one-time |
| Hero Path | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bucket of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hero Path Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| Hero Levels & Path Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pass | $18.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Wagon of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 User-friendly design
- 💡 Unique and creative concept
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing
- 🎮 Addictive and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🕰️ Slow progression and leveling
- 🤖 Unbalanced matchmaking against AI
- 💰 Aggressive monetization tactics
- 🔇 Lack of sound and audio options

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to open chests past level 17
- Disappearing or lost game progress
- Unresponsive or freezing UI elements
- Inconsistent item functionality after updates

**Requested features**

- Offline play mode
- More character and build diversity
- Improved tutorial and onboarding
- Cloud save and cross-device sync
- Ranked/competitive game modes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hearthstone free?

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

### Is Backpack Brawl free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hearthstone or Backpack Brawl?

Backpack Brawl is rated higher. Hearthstone averages 4.1 out of 5 from 122K ratings, while Backpack Brawl averages 4.7 from 5.8K ratings.

### Do Hearthstone or Backpack Brawl have ads?

Backpack Brawl shows ads; Hearthstone does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hearthstone or Backpack Brawl?

Hearthstone ships an update fortnightly, and Backpack Brawl every 6 days. Most recently, Hearthstone was updated on September 25, 2026 and Backpack Brawl on September 24, 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.*