# Hacktivate vs Blackbat

The clearest difference is ads: Hacktivate at none against Blackbat's shown. Blackbat's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacktivate sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Blackbat sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacktivate | Blackbat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacktivate-capture-the-flag/id6748286602/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **33** | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 184 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hudson Heavy Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727337256) | [Milind Bhatt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1853480143) |

## 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


### Blackbat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbat-cybersecurity/id6788403863)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Blackbat Pro 3 Months | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Blackbat Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| 100 Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1400 Gems | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacktivate free?

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

### Is Blackbat free?

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

### Do Hacktivate or Blackbat have ads?

Blackbat shows ads; Hacktivate does not.

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

Hacktivate ships an update weekly, and Blackbat weekly. Most recently, Hacktivate was updated on November 5, 2026 and Blackbat on November 5, 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.*