# Magic.io vs Backpack Merge

The clearest difference is ads: Backpack Merge at none against Magic.io's shown. Backpack Merge also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Magic.io's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 119). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Magic.io sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Backpack Merge sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Magic.io against 4.4 for Backpack Merge. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic.io has 1.1K ratings behind it against 119, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 25% and 25% positive.

Magic.io ships an update every 4 days, Backpack Merge every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magic.io | Backpack Merge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicio-spells-and-zombies/id6504026735/reviews)** | [4.4 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-merge/id6566180728/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 119 |
| Positive reviews | 24.8% of reviews | **25.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 925 MB | 231 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Rollic Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452111779) | [伟 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403717237) |

## What reviewers say

### Magic.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicio-spells-and-zombies/id6504026735)

Embark on a magical roguelike adventure to defeat dark forces. Master unique spellcasting, navigate challenging chapters, and strategically use a dash mechanic to overcome enemies and epic bosses. Collect and customize equipment to enhance your power and earn daily rewards.

**Highlights:** Unique spellcasting mechanic, Thrilling chapter battles, Dash mechanic for evasion, Customizable equipment, Epic boss fights, Daily rewards and upgrades

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Three Day Offer 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Magic Mastery Card | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Offer 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Standard Monthly Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Three Day Offer 2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Chapter Fund 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Monthly Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Ad Free Card | $19.99 | one-time |
| Chapter Fund 2 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Battlepass Discount | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun gameplay
- 👍 Diverse spells and abilities
- 🚀 Smooth controls
- 👍 Customizable wands and gear
- 👍 Optional ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Invisible walls and unresponsive controls
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🐛 Progression issues and lost progress
- 🐛 Laggy performance and frame drops

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes during gameplay
- Progression and rewards not tracking properly
- Wands and abilities not functioning as described
- Invisible walls and unresponsive controls
- Gear and equipment not merging correctly

**Requested features**

- Reduce swipe requirement for dashing
- Add option to disable damage numbers
- Improve in-game support and bug reporting
- Increase stamina regeneration or add more methods to obtain it


### Backpack Merge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpack-merge/id6566180728)

Merge magical equipment and strategically organize your backpack to defend a peaceful academy from a monster invasion. Become the legendary Archmage and discover diverse combat strategies through talented equipment combinations.

**Highlights:** Merge equipment, Organize backpack, Defend from monsters, Diverse strategies, Talented equipment combinations

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Package33 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Package9 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Package7 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Package28 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Package81 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Package90 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Package36 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Package8 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Package10 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Package44 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging and addictive gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Attractive art style and visual design
- 🧠 Strategic depth with resource management
- ⚡ Active developer support with regular patches
- 🎯 Unique backpack/inventory management concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ad frequency and duration (90+ seconds)
- 💰 Extremely high monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Frequent server connection errors and crashes
- ⚠️ Ads frequently fail to load properly
- ⚖️ Severe game balance issues (weak weapons, overpowered enemies)

**Reported bugs**

- Ads fail to load or display (critical issue affecting rewards)
- Server connection errors and timeouts
- Insufficient items equipped error blocking stage progression
- Stamina randomly drains after server errors
- Login failures with Facebook and Apple ID

**Requested features**

- Add German language support
- Add Ukrainian and Russian language options
- Add Google ID login option for iOS
- Reduce ad frequency and duration
- Implement alternative monetization model


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magic.io free?

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

### Is Backpack Merge free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Magic.io or Backpack Merge?

Magic.io is rated higher. Magic.io averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Backpack Merge averages 4.4 from 119 ratings.

### Do Magic.io or Backpack Merge have ads?

Magic.io shows ads; Backpack Merge does not.

### Which is updated more often, Magic.io or Backpack Merge?

Magic.io ships an update every 4 days, and Backpack Merge every 6 weeks. Most recently, Magic.io was updated on October 30, 2026 and Backpack Merge on October 30, 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.*