# Merge Survival vs CipherWalk

The clearest difference is ads: CipherWalk at none against Merge Survival's shown. CipherWalk also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge Survival sells 49 one-off in-app purchases and CipherWalk sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Merge Survival ships an update every 4 weeks, CipherWalk every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merge Survival | CipherWalk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-survival-wasteland/id6443908990/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 1.2 GB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sticky Hands Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1122334014) | [ESKIL DAVID JARLSKOG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896558389) |

## What reviewers say

### Merge Survival

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-survival-wasteland/id6443908990)

Embark on a post-apocalyptic journey to build a safe haven by merging resources and crafting essential items. Explore desolate towns, uncover hidden locations, and interact with other survivors to unravel a compelling narrative.

**Highlights:** Merge items to create survival tools and shelter components, Explore desolate towns and discover hidden locations, Engage with a post-apocalyptic survival story, Build an eco-friendly camp with other survivors, Strategically collect survival essentials, Recycle resources and complete item collections

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (49)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Christmas Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Happy 2024 Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sweet Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1st Anniversary Party Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| A Day's Energy Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| party relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Happy 2025 Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Strange Candy Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Acorn Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Prepared Explorer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Camp's Summer Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1st Anniversary Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Polar Bear Relay 3 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Strange Candy Relay 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Christmas Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Happy 2024 Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sweet Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1st Anniversary Party Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2,500 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 100 Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Basic Support | $1.99 | one-time |
| Energy Charging Station | $1.99 | one-time |
| Seed's Energy Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Challenge Relay 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Survival Energy Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Black Friday Lucky Box | $1.99 | one-time |
| Strange Candy Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Acorn Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Emergency Fund Piggy Bank | $1.99 | one-time |
| Camp's Summer Relay 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Joy's Energy Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Black Friday Fortune | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6,500 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 260 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Class Ticket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Camp's Summer Relay 9 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Board One Line Expansion | $6.99 | one-time |
| Premium Support | $7.99 | one-time |
| Black Friday Special | $7.99 | one-time |
| 14,250 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 570 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Support | $9.99 | one-time |
| Board One Line Expansion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Happy Weekend Pack+ | $9.99 | one-time |
| Stray Cat Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Crafting Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Board One Line Expansion 3 | $10.99 | one-time |
| 1,250 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Board One Line Expansion | $22.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 🌱 Environmentally-conscious theme
- 🐶 Cute and lovable characters
- 🕹️ Engaging and relaxing gameplay
- 🔍 Interesting story and lore

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Repetitive tasks
- 🏠 Limited board space
- 🔋 Slow energy recharge
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🗣️ Preachy environmental messaging

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Disappearing/lost progress
- Inconsistent item drop rates

**Requested features**

- More board space options
- Faster energy recharge
- Ability to store/save items
- More diverse character customization
- Additional story content and quests


### CipherWalk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherwalk/id6768302339)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2-Player Quest | $19.99 | one-time |
| 3-Player Quest | $29.99 | one-time |
| 4-Player Quest | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merge Survival free?

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

### Is CipherWalk free?

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

### Do Merge Survival or CipherWalk have ads?

Merge Survival shows ads; CipherWalk does not.

### Which is updated more often, Merge Survival or CipherWalk?

Merge Survival ships an update every 4 weeks, and CipherWalk every 2 weeks. Most recently, Merge Survival was updated on November 1, 2026 and CipherWalk on October 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.*