# Crunchyroll vs Hero Tale

The clearest difference is ads: Crunchyroll at none against Hero Tale's shown. Crunchyroll also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Hero Tale's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 33%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crunchyroll sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $13.99 per month and Hero Tale sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hero Tale holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hero Tale has 619 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Crunchyroll's written reviews are positive against 64% of Hero Tale's.

Crunchyroll ships an update every 2 months, Hero Tale every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Crunchyroll | Hero Tale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crunchyroll-wolfstride/id6457516405/reviews) | **[4.8 (619 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-tale-idle-rpg/id6463722206/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **619** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **63.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2.4 GB | 304 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Crunchyroll, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/329913457) | [Weird Johnny Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1413244112) |

## What reviewers say

### Crunchyroll

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crunchyroll-wolfstride/id6457516405)

A turn-based strategy RPG where you pilot giant mechas in an elite tournament. Explore a city, manage your mecha, and uncover a story of past choices and fate.

**Highlights:** Turn-based mecha battles, Explore Rain City, Mecha customization and repair, Intuitive touch and controller support, Multiple supported languages, Story-driven RPG elements

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mega Fan  Monthly | $13.99 | per month |


### Hero Tale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-tale-idle-rpg/id6463722206)

Embark on a medieval fantasy island adventure. Battle enemies to grow stronger, collect loot, and customize your gear. Explore the world using an island map and develop your character through a vast skill tree.

**Highlights:** Idle combat and training, Loot and equipment customization, Questing and experience gain, Massive skill tree, Island exploration map

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Housekeeper Fairy | $4.99 | one-time |
| Warrior Fairy | $7.99 | one-time |
| Warlock Fairy | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast-paced gameplay
- 👍 Polished and well-designed
- 💡 Meaningful character progression
- 🎨 Impressive visuals and art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐢 Slow progression and leveling
- 🔋 No offline/passive progression
- 🤕 Lack of health regeneration
- ⚔️ Difficulty spike early on

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and performance issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Offline/passive progression mode
- Faster combat and leveling options
- Crafting and gear customization system
- More varied enemy and boss encounters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Crunchyroll free?

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

### Is Hero Tale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Crunchyroll or Hero Tale?

Hero Tale is rated higher. Crunchyroll averages 4.4 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Hero Tale averages 4.8 from 619 ratings.

### Do Crunchyroll or Hero Tale have ads?

Hero Tale shows ads; Crunchyroll does not.

### Which is updated more often, Crunchyroll or Hero Tale?

Crunchyroll ships an update every 2 months, and Hero Tale every 5 weeks. Most recently, Crunchyroll was updated on November 3, 2026 and Hero Tale on November 7, 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.*