Comparison

Dragon Survival vs Cairn

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dragon Survival

Defend your village from monster attacks using legendary dragons. Combine infinite skills and dragon abilities to become the last survivor. Evade enemies with a dash function and face over 50 unique bosses.

Highlights
  • Infinite skill combinations
  • 24 types of dragon skills
  • Dash function for survival
  • Over 50 unique bosses
  • Weapon performance enhancement
Read full description

The peaceful Dragon Village has been attacked by monsters! You must protect the village with the legendary dragons! You will be a victorious survivor! [Game Features] ▶ Infinite skill combinations that enhance weapon performance! ▶ More colorful action play with 24 types of dragon skills! ▶ Maximize your chances of survival by using the dash function! ▶ Over 50 unique bosses with fun patterns!

About

Cairn

Features
Read full description

One tap. One slab. How high can you build? Cairn is a premium stone-stacking arcade game where you drop sliding stone slabs to build the tallest swaying cairn you can. Every perfect drop widens your tower. Every overhang gets sliced away. The higher you climb, the narrower the margin for error. What makes Cairn different The sky changes as you build. Dawn bleeds into afternoon. Afternoon softens into dusk. Dusk fades into night. The higher your cairn grows, the further the world falls away below you. It is a game you can feel. No countdown timers. No energy bars. No banner ads. Ever. How to play A stone slab slides across the screen. Tap to drop it. Land it perfectly on the slab below and your tower holds its full width. Miss the edge and the overhang is cut off. Keep going until the remaining slab is too thin to continue. That score is yours to beat. Simple to learn. Genuinely hard to master. Genuinely calming to try. Features - One-touch controls, zero learning curve - Infinite play: no levels, no end, just height - Perfect drops reward you with a wider platform - Sky palette shifts from dawn through dusk to deep night as you climb - Swaying stone physics that feel satisfying on every tap - Daily Challenge: the same seed for every player, one attempt per day, global leaderboard - Game Center leaderboards and achievements - No banner ads, no interstitials, no countdown timers - Opt-in rewarded continue only: no forced interruptions Premium, not free-to-play Cairn keeps it calm. No subscriptions, no energy systems, no aggressive upsells. An optional coffee tip supports development and unlocks a warm cosmetic glow. The game respects your time and attention. Who plays Cairn If you love classic arcade score-chasers like stacking and tower games but want something with more soul, a calmer pace, and a visual atmosphere you can sink into, Cairn is for you. It fits a two-minute break or a twenty-minute session equally well. Privacy No account required. No personal data collected beyond Game Center scores. No tracking for ad targeting. Download Cairn. Build something that sways. Cairn requires iOS 16 or later. Game Center required for leaderboards. Rewarded continue is optional and free.

Screenshots

Dragon Survival4 screens
Cairn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Cairn at none against Dragon Survival's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Dragon Survival sells 37 one-off in-app purchases and Cairn sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dragon Survival ships an update every 2 weeks, Cairn every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Dragon Survival versus Cairn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDragon SurvivalCairn
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (357 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews61.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings357 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size935 MB8 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperAlchemistGamesBranko Borota

Bugs and requests

Dragon Survival

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Game stuck on loading screen with network error
  • Update prompt appears but no update available
  • Blue screen appears after using back button
  • Game crashes 1-3 minutes into runs
  • Crashes on iOS 14.3
Show 3 more
  • Failed to load ad message causing game freeze
  • Unlocked skills don't appear on certain stages
  • Game crashes on stage 19 and beyond

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add more dragon characters
  • Controller support (Xbox, etc.)
  • Visible gear/equipment on character model
  • Additional equipment types (pendants, rings)
  • Endless mode or free energy grinding options
Show 4 more
  • Ad-free permanent purchase option
  • Graphics and performance settings
  • Better menu organization and explanations
  • Back to menu button in levels

Cairn

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

37 purchases

Dragon Survival

One-time37
  • Must-Need Package!$0.99
  • Daily Package 2$1.99
  • Welcome Box 1$1.99
Show 34 more
  • Beginner Growth Package$1.99
  • Nameless One$2.99
  • Magician of Wisdom$2.99
  • Stage 3 Growth Package$2.99
  • Greedy Nine Tailed Fox$2.99
  • The Devourer$2.99
  • Berserker of Fury$2.99
  • Lazy Dark Lord$2.99
  • Stage 2 Growth Package$2.99
  • Stage 4 Growth Package$3.99
  • Welcome Box 2$3.99
  • Stage 5 Growth Package$3.99
  • Stage 6 Growth Package$4.99
  • Premium Monthly Plan$4.99
  • Stage 7 Growth Package$4.99
  • Mokoji Package$5.99
  • Special Lv. 1 Support$5.99
  • Permanent Ad Removal$5.99
  • Welcome Box 3$5.99
  • Dragon Pass$6.99
  • Durun Package$6.99
  • Advanced Monthly Plan2 variants$9.99
  • Roulette Event Package 8$9.99
  • Roulette Event Package 10$9.99
  • Daily Package 4$9.99
  • Weekly Package 2$9.99
  • Special Lv. 3 Support$12.99
  • 7-Day Event Package$12.99
  • Super-Special Lv. 1 Support$17.99
  • Dragon Pass PLUS$17.99
  • 3,000 Gems$24.99
  • 6,000 Gems$49.99
  • Monthly Package 3$69.99
  • 13,000 Gems$89.99
1 purchases

Cairn

One-time1
  • Coffee$1.99

Questions

Is Dragon Survival free?
Dragon Survival is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cairn free?
Cairn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Dragon Survival or Cairn have ads?
Dragon Survival shows ads; Cairn does not.
Which is updated more often, Dragon Survival or Cairn?
Dragon Survival ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cairn every 11 days. Most recently, Dragon Survival was updated on October 7, 2026 and Cairn on September 24, 2026.

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