# Hive® Game vs Rule Referee

The clearest difference is rating: Rule Referee at 5.0 against Hive® Game's 4.5. Hive® Game's advantage is ratings volume (280 vs 1) and update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hive® Game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Rule Referee sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Rule Referee holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hive® Game has 280 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Hive® Game ships an update every 11 days, Rule Referee monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hive® Game | Rule Referee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (280 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hive-game/id6747834729/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rule-referee/id6762228503/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **280** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 63.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GiantStep Kft.](https://appshunter.io/developer/557576540) | [Autumn Wohlwend](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893451234) |

## What reviewers say

### Hive® Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hive-game/id6747834729)

Experience the award-winning strategy board game digitally. This app offers a faithful adaptation of the classic game, featuring challenging AI, all official expansions, and customizable visuals. Perfect for both new players and seasoned veterans.

**Highlights:** Official Hive® rules and design, Includes all three official expansions, Advanced RustyBlade™ AI, Adjustable difficulty for beginners, Video tutorial by game creator, Customizable visual settings, Local network play

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Elite Edition | $9.99 | one-time |


### Rule Referee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rule-referee/id6762228503)

Get instant, accurate answers to board and card game rules without searching through manuals. This app provides clear, reliable information to keep your games flowing smoothly and eliminate disputes. Access rules offline and enjoy a built-in timer for supported games.

**Highlights:** Instant rule answers, Offline access, Built-in game timer, Supports popular board games, No AI guesswork, Structured rule data

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rule Referee All Access | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hive® Game free?

Hive® Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Rule Referee free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hive® Game or Rule Referee?

Rule Referee is rated higher. Hive® Game averages 4.5 out of 5 from 280 ratings, while Rule Referee averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Hive® Game or Rule Referee have ads?

Neither Hive® Game nor Rule Referee shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hive® Game or Rule Referee?

Hive® Game ships an update every 11 days, and Rule Referee monthly. Most recently, Hive® Game was updated on October 16, 2026 and Rule Referee on October 14, 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.*