# Hacktivate vs CipherQuest

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CipherQuest at none against Hacktivate's 4. CipherQuest also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.5). Hacktivate's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (32 vs 1). On price, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

CipherQuest holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hacktivate has 32 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Hacktivate ships an update every 5 days, CipherQuest monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacktivate | CipherQuest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacktivate-capture-the-flag/id6748286602/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherquest-cyber-puzzles/id6783488980/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **32** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 184 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Hudson Heavy Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727337256) | [Heorhii Kozlovskyi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703726477) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### CipherQuest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cipherquest-cyber-puzzles/id6783488980)

Learn cybersecurity concepts through interactive puzzles and simulated challenges. Master topics like Linux, cryptography, and web security in a gamified experience with hands-on labs. Progress through skill paths and earn rewards as you capture flags.

**Highlights:** 211 bite-sized challenges, Simulated terminal and labs, Learn Linux and command line, Cryptography and web security, Digital forensics and recon, Earn XP and unlock badges, Offline play

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacktivate free?

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

### Is CipherQuest free?

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

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

CipherQuest is rated higher. Hacktivate averages 4.7 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while CipherQuest averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Hacktivate or CipherQuest have ads?

Neither Hacktivate nor CipherQuest shows ads.

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

Hacktivate ships an update every 5 days, and CipherQuest monthly. Most recently, Hacktivate was updated on October 15, 2026 and CipherQuest on September 29, 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.*