# The Salt Keep vs Eldrum

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Salt Keep at none against Eldrum's 1. The Salt Keep also leads on price ($4.99 vs $8.99) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.4). Eldrum's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly) and ratings volume (159 vs 14). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

The Salt Keep costs $4.99 and Eldrum $8.99 up front. Eldrum sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Salt Keep asks for nothing beyond the download.

Eldrum holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eldrum has 159 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of The Salt Keep's written reviews are positive against 92% of Eldrum's.

The Salt Keep ships an update fortnightly, Eldrum every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Salt Keep | Eldrum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-salt-keep/id6444470170/reviews) | **[4.9 (159 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-black-dust-text-rpg/id6689519299/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **159** |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **92.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#194** |
| Size | 6 MB | 186 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Small Gray Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654872379) | [Act None](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652633881) |

## What reviewers say

### The Salt Keep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-salt-keep/id6444470170)

Embark on a text-based adventure in a fantasy world where a struggling merchant uncovers a dangerous mystery. Make choices, collect items, and level up your character to navigate a world shaped by industrial decline and feudalism.

**Highlights:** Text-based interactive fiction, Choose Your Own Adventure mechanics, RPG elements with leveling, Item collection and equipment, Percentage-based challenges, NPC interaction, Exploration of secrets and missable areas

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Eldrum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-black-dust-text-rpg/id6689519299)

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Paid · Role Playing (US App Store)

Embark on a dark, immersive text-based RPG where your decisions dictate your fate. Experience D&D-inspired gameplay, strategic turn-based combat, and branching storylines in a richly crafted, grimdark world. Explore, uncover secrets, and forge your own path to one of multiple endings.

**Highlights:** Branching storylines with multiple endings, D&D-inspired gameplay mechanics, Strategic turn-based combat, Rich, dark, and immersive world, Exploration with secrets and side quests, Atmospheric audio and evocative imagery

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mount Karnak DLC | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Immersive storytelling
- 🚀 Engaging combat system
- 💡 Accessible for blind users
- 🔒 Deep RPG mechanics
- 👍 Fantastic writing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Broken/tedious combat
- 🐛 Slow progression
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Voiceover issues with health display
- RNG-heavy combat

**Requested features**

- More cities and activities
- Ability to improve fighting skills
- Clarity on save system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Salt Keep free?

The Salt Keep costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Eldrum free?

Eldrum costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Salt Keep or Eldrum?

Eldrum is rated higher. The Salt Keep averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 159 ratings.

### Do The Salt Keep or Eldrum have ads?

Neither The Salt Keep nor Eldrum shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Salt Keep or Eldrum?

The Salt Keep ships an update fortnightly, and Eldrum every 3 days. Most recently, The Salt Keep was updated on October 21, 2026 and Eldrum on October 20, 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.*