# Shadowverse vs Once Upon a Galaxy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Once Upon a Galaxy at 83% against Shadowverse's 35%. Once Upon a Galaxy also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shadowverse sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Once Upon a Galaxy sells 44 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Once Upon a Galaxy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 1.4K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of Shadowverse's written reviews are positive against 83% of Once Upon a Galaxy's.

Shadowverse ships an update every 2 weeks, Once Upon a Galaxy fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadowverse | Once Upon a Galaxy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowverse-worlds-beyond/id6472019540/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/once-upon-a-galaxy/id6504776189/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K | **1.4K** |
| Positive reviews | 35.0% of reviews | **83.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 608 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Cygames, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/561598806) | [Million Dreams Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1753775797) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadowverse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowverse-worlds-beyond/id6472019540)

Engage in strategic card battles with a new super-evolution mechanic and a compelling story. Collect cards, customize decks across seven classes, and connect with other players in a vibrant community.

**Highlights:** Super-evolution mechanic, Strategic card battles, Daily free card packs, Seven unique classes, Full-voice acted story, Shadowverse Park community, Deck customization

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60 Crystals | $1.19 | one-time |
| First Farer Legendary Box | $1.59 | one-time |
| First Farer Box | $1.59 | one-time |
| 220 Crystals | $3.99 | one-time |
| 450 Crystals | $7.99 | one-time |
| Crystals + Card Style Bundle | $15.99 | one-time |
| 920 Crystals | $15.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $15.99 | one-time |
| 1400 Crystals | $23.99 | one-time |
| 2350 Crystals | $39.99 | one-time |
| Deckboost Bundle | $39.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Crystals | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Gorgeous artwork
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Familiar and welcoming to Shadowverse fans

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overly expensive monetization model
- 🔒 Restrictive card liquefaction system
- 🏆 Lack of F2P-friendly progression

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and compatibility issues on certain devices
- Matchmaking problems with self-declared 'beginners'

**Requested features**

- More ways to earn in-game currency
- Improved card economy and crafting system
- Expanded game modes and content


### Once Upon a Galaxy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/once-upon-a-galaxy/id6504776189)

Engage in a fantasy drafting card battler with unique characters and their quests. Build your team and strategize to complete objectives. Enjoy a game free of AI art and ads, with optional in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Fantasy drafting card battles, Unique character captains, Quest completion, Team strategy, No AI artwork, No ads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (44)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 600 Gems (September deal) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 600 Gems (July deal) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| 500 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| October 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| September 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1300 Gems (August deal) | $9.99 | one-time |
| August 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| July 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| June 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| March 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| May 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| April 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| February 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| December Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| January 2026 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| November 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| October 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| September 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| July 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| August 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| June 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| May 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1,100 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| April 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| March 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| February 2025 Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Galaxy Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Swishbuckler Chromaria Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Chromarian Chromaria Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Remi Chromaria Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Galaxy Reroll | $14.99 | one-time |
| Candylar Reroll | $14.99 | one-time |
| Mythbound Reroll | $14.99 | one-time |
| Thanatos Mythbound Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Baldr Mythbound Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Hecate Mythbound Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Candylar Goat T Preorder | $14.99 | one-time |
| Candylar Beanstalk Preorder | $14.99 | one-time |
| Candylar Candy Pandy Preorder | $14.99 | one-time |
| 2,300 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Winter Bundle | $29.99 | one-time |
| 6,000 Gems | $49.99 | one-time |
| 14,000 Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Intuitive and streamlined
- 🎨 Charming art style
- 🕹️ Engaging strategy
- ⏱️ Asynchronous play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
- 🔒 Locked content behind paywall
- 🤖 Imbalanced heroes/abilities
- 🕰️ Slow progression

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen on startup
- Infinite loading issues
- Progression loss after updates

**Requested features**

- More hero/card variety
- Improved tutorial and learning tools
- Offline/save progress mode
- Cosmetic/non-gameplay monetization
- Competitive/ranked modes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadowverse free?

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

### Is Once Upon a Galaxy free?

Once Upon a Galaxy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shadowverse or Once Upon a Galaxy?

Once Upon a Galaxy is rated higher. Shadowverse averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Once Upon a Galaxy averages 4.8 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Shadowverse or Once Upon a Galaxy have ads?

Shadowverse shows ads; Once Upon a Galaxy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shadowverse or Once Upon a Galaxy?

Shadowverse ships an update every 2 weeks, and Once Upon a Galaxy fortnightly. Most recently, Shadowverse was updated on October 27, 2026 and Once Upon a Galaxy on October 27, 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.*