# SmartStack vs PlayDate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SmartStack at none against PlayDate's 2. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PlayDate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. SmartStack asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartStack ships an update every 4 days, PlayDate every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartStack | PlayDate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 9 days |
| Size | 62 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Nathan Mills](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836538032) | [Shelly Ambar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838141558) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartStack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartstack/id6753078612)

**In-app purchases:** none


### PlayDate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playdate-know-your-date/id6780151567)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spark | $4.99 | per year |
| Flame | $7.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartStack free?

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

### Is PlayDate free?

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

### Do SmartStack or PlayDate have ads?

Neither SmartStack nor PlayDate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartStack or PlayDate?

SmartStack ships an update every 4 days, and PlayDate every 9 days. Most recently, SmartStack was updated on September 25, 2026 and PlayDate on September 19, 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.*