# Balatro vs TownsFolk

The clearest difference is price: TownsFolk at Free against Balatro's $9.99. TownsFolk also leads on device support (5 vs 3). Balatro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (108K vs 3.3K). On update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

TownsFolk is free to download; Balatro costs $9.99 up front. TownsFolk sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Balatro asks for nothing beyond the download.

Balatro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Balatro has 108K ratings behind it against 3.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Balatro's written reviews are positive against 73% of TownsFolk's.

Balatro ships an update every 8 days, TownsFolk every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Balatro | TownsFolk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (108K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balatro/id6502453075/reviews)** | [4.7 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/townsfolk/id6670406987/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **108K** | 3.3K |
| Positive reviews | **81.0% of reviews** | 73.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#2** | — |
| Size | 94 MB | 256 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Playstack Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133080356) | [Short Circuit Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681849083) |

## What reviewers say

### Balatro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balatro/id6502453075)

**Currently charting:** #2 Top Paid · Card, #4 Top Paid · Strategy, #7 Top Paid · Games, #10 Top Paid, #114 Top Grossing · Card, #164 Top Grossing · Strategy (US App Store)

This game blends poker and solitaire mechanics with unique rule-bending twists. Build powerful poker hands, discover game-changing Joker cards, and create exciting combos to defeat challenging Boss Blinds. Explore different decks and game modes for endless replayability.

**Highlights:** Poker and Solitaire hybrid gameplay, Rule-bending mechanics, Collect over 150 unique Joker cards, Create powerful combos, Campaign and challenge modes, Pixel art visuals

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Addictive gameplay
- 💎 Unique and compelling mechanics
- 👍 Easy to learn, hard to master
- 🎨 Charming pixel art and music
- 💰 Great value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and save issues
- 🔍 Small text and UI elements
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🔇 No background music support

**Reported bugs**

- Unlocks and achievements not registering properly
- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Joker and card interactions not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Cloud save sync across devices
- Portrait mode option
- Customizable UI and accessibility settings


### TownsFolk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/townsfolk/id6670406987)

Lead settlers to build and expand a thriving colony in a mysterious and dangerous world. Manage resources, make critical decisions, and overcome challenges to ensure your settlement's survival. Explore the unknown, face disasters, and appease a demanding king.

**Highlights:** Build and expand settlements, Explore unknown territories, Survive challenges and disasters, Roguelite strategy gameplay, Skirmish and puzzle modes, Handcrafted pixel art visuals, Weekly challenge mode

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shadow of Empires bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| TownsFolk: A new world | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- 👍 Solid tutorial
- 👍 Portrait mode
- 👍 Great city sim game
- 👍 Interesting mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and freezes
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 💰 Requires payment after tutorial
- 🔍 Needs better balancing
- 🔍 Needs deeper gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Tutorial freezes the game
- Can't build anything and days don't progress
- Save data reverts or gets corrupted

**Requested features**

- Creative/easy mode to keep progress
- Leaderboards and daily challenges


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Balatro free?

Balatro costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is TownsFolk free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Balatro or TownsFolk?

Balatro is rated higher. Balatro averages 5.0 out of 5 from 108K ratings, while TownsFolk averages 4.7 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Balatro or TownsFolk have ads?

Neither Balatro nor TownsFolk shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Balatro or TownsFolk?

Balatro ships an update every 8 days, and TownsFolk every 2 weeks. Most recently, Balatro was updated on October 30, 2026 and TownsFolk on October 30, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*