# Stack & Defend vs Ward

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stack & Defend at none against Ward's 3. Stack & Defend also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Ward's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ward sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Stack & Defend asks for nothing beyond the download.

Stack & Defend ships an update fortnightly, Ward monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stack & Defend | Ward |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (408 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-and-defend/id6741839843/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **408** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 181 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [晓莹 黄](https://appshunter.io/developer/1784736578) | [StackForge Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896315914) |

## What reviewers say

### Stack & Defend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-and-defend/id6741839843)

Engage in thrilling tower defense battles by strategically stacking and merging blocks to build your fortress. Unleash diverse attack modes and powerful combos to defeat ruthless bosses and conquer the battlefield.

**Highlights:** Super Free Building, Stacking and merging blocks, Diverse Attack Modes, Ruthless Opponents, Frenzied Combos, Timed Battles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Satisfying sound effects
- 👍 Fun game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Towers disappear and take crystals
- 🐛 Ads too long and can't be skipped
- 🐛 Difficulty spike in early stages

**Reported bugs**

- Towers not placing properly, taking crystals
- Unwanted towers appearing on the board

**Requested features**

- Remove ad-placed towers that take up space
- Improve tower placement and movement controls


### Ward

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ward-gravity-defense/id6779832733)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StackForge Play Pass Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| StackForge Play Pass Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Ward Full Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stack & Defend free?

Stack & Defend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ward free?

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

### Do Stack & Defend or Ward have ads?

Stack & Defend shows ads; Ward does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stack & Defend or Ward?

Stack & Defend ships an update fortnightly, and Ward monthly. Most recently, Stack & Defend was updated on October 22, 2026 and Ward on October 7, 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.*