Gambit vs Payback Arcade
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Gambit
Learn and play Texas Hold'em poker without real money. Features a virtual coach, offline play against bots, and online multiplayer with friends. Compete in daily tournaments and track your progress on global leaderboards.
- Virtual poker coach
- Offline play against bots
- Online multiplayer with friends
- Daily tournaments
- Hand review feature
- Global leaderboards
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Learn, play, and improve at Texas Hold'em poker. No gambling. Whether you're a total beginner or a frequent player, our virtual coach will guide you and help you review your decisions. Watch your rating grow! Play online or offline against 14 of our bots with different playing styles, set up a table with your friends, and compete in our daily Gambit Cup tournament. See you at the table! - KEY FEATURES: - Stunning visuals and a smooth, intuitive interface. - Cross-Platform: Play on your phone, tablet, or web browser with one single account. - Classic Cards Design: Beautifully crafted and smooth animations for a premium feel. - PLAY YOUR WAY: ONLINE & OFFLINE Take the poker table with you wherever you go. Play Poker Online: Join other players worldwide in real-time card games and tournaments. Play Offline: No internet? Practice your skills anytime with our offline mode, perfect for honing your strategy on the move. - POKER BOTS Challenge our exclusive Poker Bots and play against diverse personalities! The perfect way to learn poker and test new cards strategies without the pressure of a live table. - PLAY LIVE WITH FRIENDS Invite your friends to private rooms for a "Home Game" experience, dealing the cards no matter where they are in the world. - THE GAMBIT CUP: DAILY TOURNAMENT GLORY Join The Gambit Cup, our premier daily tournament series. Compete in fast-paced mini-tournaments every single day and win your way through the brackets to reach the final table. - LEARN AND IMPROVE Review your games with our "Hand Review" feature to see where you could have played better. Elevate your game with our innovative virtual Coach, designed to guide you through every decision. Real-Time Guidance: Get instant feedback on your moves and learn the "why" behind every bet. Skill Building: Transition from a beginner to a pro with personalized insights that adapt to your playing style. Strategic Edge: Understand hand ranges, pot odds, and bluffing opportunities like never before. With the Coach by your side, you’re never playing alone. - COMPETE ON THE GLOBAL LEADERBOARD Every hand counts. Rise through the ranks on our Global Leaderboards. Earn prestige, unlock exclusive trophies, and show the world that you are a true Master of the cards. Join the Poker community today. From the first shuffle of the cards to the final ALL IN, we provide the ultimate arena for strategy lovers. Download now and join the community! Terms of Use: https://www.gambit.com/legal/terms
Payback Arcade
Experience a competitive card game of insults and comebacks digitally. Practice solo to master the game, then challenge others online and climb the leaderboards to prove your punchline prowess. Enjoy fast-paced card battles optimized for mobile devices.
- Digital card game adaptation
- Solo practice mode
- Online multiplayer matches
- Leaderboards
- Optimized for phone and iPad
- Save profile and progress with Apple ID
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Payback is the fast, chaotic card game where anyone can make a comeback. Be the first to get rid of all your cards. Payback Arcade is the official app of the Payback party card game, with over 15,000 decks delivered in 50+ countries. Learn it in two minutes with the built-in guided tutorial, then play solo against CPU opponents or online against real players. LEARN AS YOU PLAY • A guided tutorial deals you a real game and walks you through it step by step: who goes first, special cards, Fast Draw and the face-down flips. • Tips stay on in your first games, and you can switch table and card help off in Settings. HOW TO PLAY • Play a card equal to or higher than the pile. Play pairs and triples to empty your hand faster. • Can't play? Pick up the pile, or take a chance and flip the top card of the deck. • Four of the same card in a row burns the pile, and you go again. • Clear your hand, then your face-up cards, then your face-down cards. The last three are pure blind luck. SPECIAL CARDS • Burn: destroy the pile and play again. • Ghost: pass your turn without changing the pile. • Skip: skip the next player. • Reset: drop the pile back to zero. • Mirror: send the pile back to whoever acted last. PLAY SOLO • Classic: you against three CPU players. • Duel: go one-on-one with Uncle Ronnie. • Nightmare: face tougher CPU players for bigger points. • Helpful tips in your first games teach you the rules as you play. PLAY ONLINE • Classic: the full Payback experience against real players. • Duel: prove your skill head to head. • Explosive: three matching cards in a row burn the pile. • Bullet: lightning-fast turns for quick games. • Rooms: create a room for any mode, invite friends with its code. If a player drops out, a Substitute keeps their seat until they, or a friend with the code, take it back. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS • Earn a grade from D to S+ after every game. • Rank up from Bronze to Silver, Gold, Platinum, Master, and Champion. • Compare games played and win rates with the top players. Browse every card in the deck, including previews of the Dark Wizard and Mystery expansions. Want to play in person? Get the physical Payback card game from the official shop. Free to play. Solo games need no account. Online play needs an account: sign in with Apple or create one.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Payback Arcade at 100% against Gambit's 54%. Payback Arcade also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Gambit's advantage is ratings volume (135 vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Gambit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Payback Arcade asks for nothing beyond the download.
Payback Arcade holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gambit has 135 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Gambit's written reviews are positive against 100% of Payback Arcade's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Gambit | Payback Arcade |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (135 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 53.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 135 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 68 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chess.com | Great Guy Games, LLC |
Customer experience
Gambit
Payback Arcade
In-app purchases
Gambit
- All-in Membership7 Days trial$8.991 Month
- All-in Membership7 Days trial$59.991 Year
Payback Arcade
No in-app purchases









