# Hacktivate vs Alpha|Beta

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Alpha|Beta at none against Hacktivate's 4. Alpha|Beta also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 5 days) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Hacktivate's advantage is ratings volume (32 vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Alpha|Beta 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, Alpha|Beta daily. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacktivate | Alpha|Beta |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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/alphabeta/id6789290574/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 | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 184 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hudson Heavy Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727337256) | [John Hoedeman](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789290576) |

## 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


### Alpha|Beta

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphabeta/id6789290574)

Master non-Latin alphabets like Greek and Cyrillic with interactive flashcards and adaptive quizzes. Track your learning progress with daily streaks and customize your experience with color themes. This app prioritizes user privacy with no ads, accounts, or tracking.

**Highlights:** Learn 10 non-Latin scripts, Interactive flashcard decks, Adaptive quiz system, Daily streak tracking, Customizable color themes, No ads or tracking

**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 Alpha|Beta free?

Alpha|Beta is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hacktivate or Alpha|Beta?

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

### Do Hacktivate or Alpha|Beta have ads?

Neither Hacktivate nor Alpha|Beta shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacktivate or Alpha|Beta?

Hacktivate ships an update every 5 days, and Alpha|Beta daily. Most recently, Hacktivate was updated on October 15, 2026 and Alpha|Beta on October 16, 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.*