# Drop Duchy vs The Operator

The clearest difference is rating: The Operator at 4.9 against Drop Duchy's 4.4. The Operator also leads on ratings volume (472 vs 11) and chart position (#171 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drop Duchy sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and The Operator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Operator holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Operator has 472 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Drop Duchy's written reviews are positive against 89% of The Operator's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly daily. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drop Duchy | The Operator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drop-duchy/id6748815540/reviews) | **[4.9 (472 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-operator/id6779664500/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **472** |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | **88.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Daily | Daily |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#171** |
| Size | 304 MB | 926 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Doghowl Games Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1805603341) | [Bureau 81](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779664502) |

## What reviewers say

### Drop Duchy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drop-duchy/id6748815540)

Experience a unique blend of deckbuilding, puzzle, and rogue-lite gameplay. Build a realm by strategically placing tiles, gather resources, and lead your troops to reclaim enemy territory. Each run offers a fresh challenge with procedural generation and meta-progression.

**Highlights:** Deckbuilding, puzzle, and rogue-lite gameplay mix, Strategic tile placement for resource maximization, Real-time strategy combat and territory reclamation, Procedurally generated game experiences, Meta-progression with over 90 challenges, Over 110 unique cards for deck building, Three playable factions: The Duchy, The Order, The Republic

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Base Game Offer | $12.99 | one-time |
| Base Game | $14.99 | one-time |


### The Operator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-operator/id6779664500)

**Currently charting:** #171 Top Free · Adventure (US App Store)

Step into the role of an Operator for the FDI, solving complex cases like murders and cyber attacks. Utilize advanced software to analyze evidence, assist field agents, and uncover the truth behind mind-bending mysteries. Your ingenuity is key to bringing criminals to justice and making the world a safer place.

**Highlights:** Investigate diverse criminal cases, Utilize cutting-edge FDI software, Analyze evidence and find clues, Assist field agents with fact-checking, Uncover mind-bending stories, Solve mysteries through deduction

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drop Duchy free?

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

### Is The Operator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Drop Duchy or The Operator?

The Operator is rated higher. Drop Duchy averages 4.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while The Operator averages 4.9 from 472 ratings.

### Do Drop Duchy or The Operator have ads?

Neither Drop Duchy nor The Operator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drop Duchy or The Operator?

Drop Duchy ships an update daily, and The Operator daily. Most recently, Drop Duchy was updated on October 3, 2026 and The Operator on October 13, 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.*