# MDS vs Synapse

The clearest difference is ads: MDS at none against Synapse's shown. Synapse's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MDS sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Synapse sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MDS ships an update monthly, Synapse every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MDS | Synapse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 171 MB | 228 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Bruce Mattison](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786343567) | [Disquiet Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/6807713912) |

## What reviewers say

### MDS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mds-tdgambit/id6739622461)

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GambitAx Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hard and Insane Difficulties | $0.99 | one-time |
| Chapter 3 Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| 300 GambitAx Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Chapter 1 Maps | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chapter 2 Maps | $2.99 | one-time |
| Play Maps in Any Order | $3.99 | one-time |


### Synapse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synapse-tower-defense/id6807713910)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Maps | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock The Cortex | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MDS free?

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

### Is Synapse free?

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

### Do MDS or Synapse have ads?

Synapse shows ads; MDS does not.

### Which is updated more often, MDS or Synapse?

MDS ships an update monthly, and Synapse every 3 days. Most recently, MDS was updated on November 4, 2026 and Synapse on October 31, 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.*