# Fishing Master vs Holy Mackerel

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Holy Mackerel at 100% against Fishing Master's 65%. Fishing Master's advantage is ratings volume (24K vs 13) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fishing Master sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Holy Mackerel sells 22 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Fishing Master holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fishing Master has 24K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of Fishing Master's written reviews are positive against 100% of Holy Mackerel's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Fishing Master ships an update monthly, Holy Mackerel fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fishing Master | Holy Mackerel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fishing-master/id6471659176/reviews)** | [4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holy-mackerel/id6572291924/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 65.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#138** | — |
| Size | 1.8 GB | 174 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Ark Game Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688147465) | [Kate Young](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759110751) |

## What reviewers say

### Fishing Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fishing-master/id6471659176)

**Currently charting:** #138 Top Grossing · Sports, #198 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

Experience realistic 3D fishing with intuitive motion controls. Explore famous fishing spots, catch over 100 species of fish, and compete with friends in thrilling duels. Upgrade your gear and discover hidden treasures for a relaxing yet rewarding gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Realistic 3D fishing simulation, Motion control casting and reeling, Over 100 fish species to catch, Famous real-world fishing locations, Real-time player duels and leaderboards, Gear upgrades and special abilities, Monster fish and treasure hunting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $0.99 pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| $1.99 pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| $4.99 pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| $8.99 pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| $9.99 pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| $14.99 pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| $19.99 pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| $24.99 pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| $27.99 pack | $27.99 | one-time |
| $49.99 pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| $99.99 pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth performance with no ads
- 🎣 Realistic fishing experience
- 💎 Variety of fish species and locations
- 🔥 Competitive and engaging events

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Slow progression and high energy consumption
- 🤑 Potential pay-to-win aspects
- 🐛 Occasional connectivity and glitch issues
- 🤯 Challenging to catch rare/titled fish

**Reported bugs**

- Monthly record pop-up issue
- Inconsistent fish behavior and line breaks

**Requested features**

- Add friend mode and multiplayer functionality
- Improve energy regeneration and progression system
- Introduce more bait and lure options
- Enhance realism with accurate fish taxonomy


### Holy Mackerel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holy-mackerel/id6572291924)

Embark on a pixel art fishing adventure across diverse biomes. Master timing-based mechanics, upgrade gear, and discover unique fish, including the legendary Holy Mackerel. Engage with charming NPCs and enjoy a stylized, cartoonish world.

**Highlights:** Retro pixel art graphics, Explore diverse biomes, Unique fish in each biome, Timing-based fishing mechanics, Gear upgrades, Unlock new biomes, Interact with NPCs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (22)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporters pt1 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Supporters pt2 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Supporters pt3 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Supporters pt4 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Handful Of Clams | $0.99 | one-time |
| Its Alive | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sun, Surf & Style Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Astronaut In The Ocean | $2.99 | one-time |
| Speed Tackle Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |
| Xmas 2024 Hat + Boat Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Bucket Full Of Clams (Sale) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fancy Pants Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Plunders Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Bucket Full Of Clams | $5.99 | one-time |
| Crate Of Clams (sale) | $7.99 | one-time |
| Crate Of Clams | $9.99 | one-time |
| Boat Full Of Clams (Sale) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Boat Full Of Clams | $19.99 | one-time |
| Chest Full Of Clams | $29.99 | one-time |
| Chest Full Of Clams | $39.99 | one-time |
| Ocean Full Of Clams | $44.99 | one-time |
| Ocean Full Of Clams | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Gorgeous pixel art
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🐟 Variety of fish species and biomes
- 🚫 No ads (unless you want to watch for rewards)
- 🤗 Puts a smile on your face

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❄️ Ice blocks suck


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fishing Master free?

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

### Is Holy Mackerel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Fishing Master or Holy Mackerel?

Fishing Master is rated higher. Fishing Master averages 4.8 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Holy Mackerel averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.

### Do Fishing Master or Holy Mackerel have ads?

Both Fishing Master and Holy Mackerel show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fishing Master or Holy Mackerel?

Fishing Master ships an update monthly, and Holy Mackerel fortnightly. Most recently, Fishing Master was updated on October 27, 2026 and Holy Mackerel on October 24, 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.*