# Punch Machine vs Bow Smash

The clearest difference is update cadence: Punch Machine at weekly against Bow Smash's every 3 weeks. Punch Machine also leads on ratings volume (11K vs 1.6K). Bow Smash's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Punch Machine sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Bow Smash sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Punch Machine against 4.7 for Bow Smash. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Punch Machine has 11K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 23% of Punch Machine's written reviews are positive against 16% of Bow Smash's.

Punch Machine ships an update weekly, Bow Smash every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Punch Machine | Bow Smash |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/punch-machine/id6450673427/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bow-smash-archery-king/id6503169998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | **22.9% of reviews** | 16.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 566 MB | 251 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Rollic Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452111779) | [Freeplay LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1232320673) |

## What reviewers say

### Punch Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/punch-machine/id6450673427)

Engage in a virtual punching experience where you can enhance your fist's capabilities. Improve your stats, unlock upgrades, and compete for the highest score to win.

**Highlights:** Virtual punching simulation, Punch stat enhancement, Unlockable upgrades, High score competition, Game progression

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1000 Year Fist | $0.99 | one-time |
| BEST SELLER PACK | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Year Fist | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| NO ADS | $4.99 | one-time |
| DOUBLE FIGHTER PACK | $5.99 | one-time |
| STARTER PACK | $7.99 | one-time |
| NO ADS - FIGHTER PACK | $9.99 | one-time |
| 500K Coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| Infinity Skip It | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and entertaining game
- ⏱️ Good time waster
- 🔓 Permanent upgrades

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads
- 🔒 Progression blocked after a certain point
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Lack of transparency in upgrade mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes on leaderboard screen
- Permanent upgrades not working as intended
- Matchmaking issues in versus mode

**Requested features**

- Remove level cap
- Fix progression issues
- Improve ad experience


### Bow Smash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bow-smash-archery-king/id6503169998)

Engage in an archery battle where you merge arrows to create powerful projectiles. Aim, shoot, and overcome obstacles and enemies in this action-packed target game. Discover rewards, enhance your gear, and prove your precision to become the ultimate archery king or queen.

**Highlights:** Merge arrows for increased power, Aim and shoot targets, Overcome obstacle courses, Defeat enemies and bosses, Enhance bow and arrows with buffs, Discover treasure chests

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Friend Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| One Time Offer Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Skip It Pack 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Victory Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Money Pack 2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Best Seller Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Skip It Pack 3 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ads Free Pack | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good game
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Too many ads
- 🔒 Ads lock up the game
- 🔒 Ads disrupt gameplay
- 🐛 Progression issues
- 🐛 Soft locks and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Progression stops at certain arrow levels
- Arrows reset to level 1 unexpectedly
- Inability to sell or merge arrows

**Requested features**

- Ability to disable ads
- Improved progression and upgrade system
- Better arrow management and merging


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Punch Machine free?

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

### Is Bow Smash free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Punch Machine or Bow Smash?

Bow Smash is rated higher. Punch Machine averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Bow Smash averages 4.7 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Punch Machine or Bow Smash have ads?

Both Punch Machine and Bow Smash show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Punch Machine or Bow Smash?

Punch Machine ships an update weekly, and Bow Smash every 3 weeks. Most recently, Punch Machine was updated on November 7, 2026 and Bow Smash on November 4, 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.*