# RISC vs Hacktivate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RISC at none against Hacktivate's 4. RISC also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 89%). Hacktivate's advantage is ratings volume (33 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacktivate sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. RISC asks for nothing beyond the download.

RISC holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hacktivate has 33 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of RISC's written reviews are positive against 89% of Hacktivate's.

RISC ships an update every 2 weeks, Hacktivate weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RISC | Hacktivate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/risc-v-assembly-simulator/id6746425094/reviews)** | [4.7 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacktivate-capture-the-flag/id6748286602/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **33** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 88.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 184 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Jacobs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1750387744) | [Hudson Heavy Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727337256) |

## What reviewers say

### RISC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/risc-v-assembly-simulator/id6746425094)

Simulate a complete 32-bit mobile system, including CPU units and memory. Write and debug assembly code directly on the simulated hardware to understand its inner workings.

**Highlights:** 32-bit system simulation, CPU unit simulation, Memory subsystem simulation, Native assembly coding, Built-in debugger, Hardware analysis

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hacktivate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacktivate-capture-the-flag/id6748286602)

Engage in a cybersecurity challenge with 240 missions across a global map, utilizing real hacking techniques. Learn skills from basic ciphers to advanced firewalls, with tutorials and scalable difficulty.

**Highlights:** 240 graded cybersecurity missions, Real-world hacking techniques, Hacker's Toolbox (hashing, encryption, ciphers), Global progression across continents, Comprehensive tutorials and documentation, Scalable difficulty for all levels, Cross-device sync (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hint Packet | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hint Payload | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hint Overload | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Campaign | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great set of puzzles
- 👍 Fun and educational
- 👍 Brain-building
- 👍 Great idea, great implementation
- 👍 Great game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 The price of the full game

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Useless but paid-for hint system

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RISC free?

RISC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hacktivate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RISC or Hacktivate?

RISC is rated higher. RISC averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Hacktivate averages 4.7 from 33 ratings.

### Do RISC or Hacktivate have ads?

Neither RISC nor Hacktivate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RISC or Hacktivate?

RISC ships an update every 2 weeks, and Hacktivate weekly. Most recently, RISC was updated on October 1, 2026 and Hacktivate on October 28, 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.*