# Backyard Baseball '97 vs Spud Poker

The clearest difference is price: Spud Poker at Free against Backyard Baseball '97's $4.99. Spud Poker also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (100% vs 65%). Backyard Baseball '97's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Spud Poker is free to download; Backyard Baseball '97 costs $4.99 up front. Spud Poker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Backyard Baseball '97 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Spud Poker holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backyard Baseball '97 has 1.6K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Backyard Baseball '97's written reviews are positive against 100% of Spud Poker's.

Backyard Baseball '97 ships an update every 10 days, Spud Poker every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backyard Baseball '97 | Spud Poker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-baseball-97/id6740349666/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spud-poker/id6792381242/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 65.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 326 MB | 387 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Playground Productions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789636577) | [Gregory Mckeithan](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792381244) |

## What reviewers say

### Backyard Baseball '97

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-baseball-97/id6740349666)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Paid · Sports, #14 Top Paid · Family, #191 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Relive the classic baseball game with iconic characters, fun power-ups, and intuitive controls. Play quick games, practice batting, or manage a full season with unique game modes and simplified rules.

**Highlights:** Iconic character roster, Power-ups and special pitches, Pick-up and single game modes, Full season management, Batting practice mode, Simplified T-ball mode

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Nostalgia and great memories
- 👍 Faithful recreation of the original game
- 💡 Potential for future updates and expansions
- 👍 Seamless mobile experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 👎 Difficult controls and input issues
- 👎 Limited screen size and visibility
- 👎 Lack of new features or modes

**Reported bugs**

- Gameplay freezes and crashes
- Inconsistent fielding and throwing mechanics
- Hitting mechanics feel unresponsive
- Inability to save progress after crashes

**Requested features**

- Full-screen mode
- Improved controls and input responsiveness
- New game modes (e.g., home run derby, playoffs)
- Ability to select home field
- Option to mute all sounds


### Spud Poker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spud-poker/id6792381242)

Combine poker hands with axe throwing mechanics. Build scoring combinations using cards and a shared board to achieve the best score in a full match. Offers guided play, custom builds, and local Wi-Fi tournaments.

**Highlights:** Poker hand mechanics in axe throwing, Custom Spud and axe builds, League and tournament progression, Local Wi-Fi multiplayer tournaments, Track scores and standings, Themed venues and unlockable rewards

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backyard Baseball '97 free?

Backyard Baseball '97 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Spud Poker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backyard Baseball '97 or Spud Poker?

Spud Poker is rated higher. Backyard Baseball '97 averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Spud Poker averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Backyard Baseball '97 or Spud Poker have ads?

Spud Poker shows ads; Backyard Baseball '97 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Backyard Baseball '97 or Spud Poker?

Backyard Baseball '97 ships an update every 10 days, and Spud Poker every 4 days. Most recently, Backyard Baseball '97 was updated on October 28, 2026 and Spud Poker on October 24, 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.*