Comparison

Grind Hero vs Shadow Leveling

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Grind Hero

Embark on a nostalgic 2D MMORPG adventure with intense PvP, guild warfare, and automated boss events. Choose from unique classes, customize your build with passive abilities, and explore a vast world filled with secrets. Play seamlessly across PC and mobile with a single account.

Highlights
  • 2D cross-platform MMORPG
  • Intense PvP with skull system
  • Party and guild systems
  • 4 classes with evolution
  • Sigil system for customization
  • Automated boss events
  • Real-time skill training
Read full description

GRIND HERO – 2D CROSS-PLATFORM MMORPG WITH PVP, GUILDS AND EPIC ADVENTURES! Get ready to dive into a nostalgic and challenging world in GRIND HERO – a 2D MMORPG made for players who love leveling up characters, exploring vast maps, and testing their skills in intense PvP battles! PLAY ANYWHERE Grind Hero is fully cross-platform, allowing you to play with the same account on both PC and mobile. Take your adventure with you wherever you go! CLASSES AND EVOLUTION Choose from 4 unique classes and unlock a powerful upgrade upon reaching level 20. Each class has its own playstyle, abilities, and battlefield role! PARTIES AND GUILDS Form parties with your friends or team up with other adventurers! Join a guild to take part in exclusive events, conquer territories, and grow as a team. PVP WITH SKULL SYSTEM Engage in PvP combat in dedicated areas! The skull system marks player killers, adding more risk and strategy to every encounter. AUTOMATED BOSS EVENTS Prepare for epic battles against bosses that spawn automatically across the world! Team up and fight for rare loot and glory. SIGIL SYSTEM Unlock and equip Sigils – unique passive abilities that enhance your strength, defense, speed, regeneration, and more. Customize your build to match your playstyle. SKILL TRAINING SYSTEM Leveling up is only part of the journey. Train your skills over time to become stronger and more efficient in combat. A VAST WORLD FULL OF SECRETS Explore a huge open world with diverse regions, immersive quests, hidden chests, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. There’s always something new to discover! MAIN FEATURES: • Lightweight and addictive 2D MMORPG • Full cross-platform support (PC and Mobile) • Party and guild systems • PvP with skull system • 4 classes with evolution at level 20 • Passive Sigils for deep customization • Automated world boss events • Real-time skill training • Open map with quests, chests, and hidden content Love grinding, exploring, fighting bosses and becoming a legend in a nostalgic 2D world? Grind Hero is for you! Download now and begin your journey!

About

Shadow Leveling

Features
Read full description

You are an E-Rank hunter, the weakest of them all. Until the day the System chooses you. Climb the Infinite Castle, slay hordes of monsters and turn every fallen enemy into a soldier of your SHADOW ARMY. From E-Rank to SSS, become the Shadow Monarch. ADDICTIVE ROGUELIKE ACTION • One-finger controls: move and your attacks fire automatically • Fast, intense runs, perfect for playing anywhere • Hundreds of enemies on screen at once RANK UP AND EVOLVE • 8 hunter ranks: E, D, C, B, A, S, SS and SSS • Your hero gets a new look at every rank • Grow stronger with every floor SHADOW ARMY • Raise defeated enemies as your soldiers • Command up to 10 shadows that fight by your side • Turn even bosses into allies EPIC BUILDS • Blades, lightning, shadow novas, scythes and more • Combine weapons and passives to AWAKEN skills • Every run is different BOSSES AND GUARDIANS • Giant bosses on every floor • Unique guardians in every zone of the castle • Anime-style cinematic entrances 240-MONSTER BESTIARY • Discover and collect creatures across different zones FORGE AND GEAR • Permanent Power, Vitality and Fortune upgrades • Gear from common to legendary • Daily quests and login rewards GLOBAL LEADERBOARD • Compare your highest floor with hunters worldwide Free to play. Works offline. Arise, hunter. The castle awaits.

Screenshots

Grind Hero4 screens
Shadow Leveling4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Grind Hero at none against Shadow Leveling's shown. Grind Hero also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 16 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Grind Hero sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Shadow Leveling sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Grind Hero ships an update every 4 days, Shadow Leveling every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Grind Hero versus Shadow Leveling: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrind HeroShadow Leveling
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (57 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings57 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 16 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.1 GB63 MB
Age rating+912+
DeveloperDiego Vieira da SilvaNathan Oliveira

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Grind Hero

One-time7
  • 50 Gems$0.99
  • 150 Gems$1.99
  • 350 Gems$4.99
Show 4 more
  • 750 Gems$9.99
  • 2000 Gems$22.99
  • 4000 Gems$44.99
  • 8000 Gems$89.99
1 purchases

Shadow Leveling

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$4.99

Questions

Is Grind Hero free?
Grind Hero is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Leveling free?
Shadow Leveling is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Grind Hero or Shadow Leveling have ads?
Shadow Leveling shows ads; Grind Hero does not.
Which is updated more often, Grind Hero or Shadow Leveling?
Grind Hero ships an update every 4 days, and Shadow Leveling every 16 months. Most recently, Grind Hero was updated on November 4, 2026 and Shadow Leveling on November 5, 2026.

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