# Essential FreeCell vs Citadel Solitaire

The clearest difference is price: Citadel Solitaire at Free against Essential FreeCell's $3.00. Citadel Solitaire also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Essential FreeCell's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Citadel Solitaire is free to download; Essential FreeCell costs $3.00 up front. Citadel Solitaire sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Essential FreeCell asks for nothing beyond the download.

Citadel Solitaire holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essential FreeCell has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Essential FreeCell ships an update every 9 days, Citadel Solitaire every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential FreeCell | Citadel Solitaire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.00 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-freecell/id6467422235/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/citadel-solitaire/id6748704392/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 5 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 18.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CyberMoai](https://appshunter.io/developer/553890347) | [Vlad Feinstein](https://appshunter.io/developer/1756392392) |

## What reviewers say

### Essential FreeCell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-freecell/id6467422235)

Experience a pure FreeCell solitaire game with a minimalist design. This app offers an ad-free, clutter-free, and tracking-free experience focused solely on gameplay. Enjoy classic card game mechanics without distractions.

**Highlights:** Ad-free gameplay, No in-app purchases, No user tracking, Minimalist design, Focus on core gameplay

**In-app purchases:** none


### Citadel Solitaire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/citadel-solitaire/id6748704392)

A refined card game offering classic solitaire strategy with a modern design. It's easy to learn but challenging to master, perfect for quick, relaxing play that rewards thoughtful moves.

**Highlights:** Classic Castle Solitaire gameplay, Smooth modern design, Intuitive tap or drag controls, Unlimited undo, Helpful hints, Stats and win streak tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thank you! | $0.99 | one-time |
| Thank you very much! | $2.99 | one-time |
| Support tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential FreeCell free?

Essential FreeCell costs $3.00, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Citadel Solitaire free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Essential FreeCell or Citadel Solitaire?

Citadel Solitaire is rated higher. Essential FreeCell averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Citadel Solitaire averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Essential FreeCell or Citadel Solitaire have ads?

Neither Essential FreeCell nor Citadel Solitaire shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Essential FreeCell or Citadel Solitaire?

Essential FreeCell ships an update every 9 days, and Citadel Solitaire every 5 months. Most recently, Essential FreeCell was updated on October 4, 2026 and Citadel Solitaire on September 26, 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.*