# The UnderGrowth vs Aether Bastion

The clearest difference is ads: Aether Bastion at none against The UnderGrowth's shown. The UnderGrowth's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The UnderGrowth sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Aether Bastion sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The UnderGrowth ships an update every 5 days, Aether Bastion monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The UnderGrowth | Aether Bastion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-bastion/id6806149789/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **13** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 26 MB | 165 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Ehren Davis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808781309) | [NoffTech LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/495613460) |

## What reviewers say

### The UnderGrowth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-undergrowth/id6759311061)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10× Click Power | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2× Production Boost | $0.99 | one-time |


### Aether Bastion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-bastion/id6806149789)

Defend a growing rift against swarms. Strategically expand your keep and spend resources to bring cores home. Enjoy live co-op multiplayer for up to four players.

**Highlights:** Idle rift defense gameplay, Strategic keep growth, Resource management, Live co-op multiplayer (2-4 players), Seasonal events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bastion Circle | $7.99 | per month |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ember Theme | $1.99 | one-time |
| Awakening Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Ember Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Purse of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Founder’s Sigil | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Vault of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Treasury of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The UnderGrowth free?

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

### Is Aether Bastion free?

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

### Do The UnderGrowth or Aether Bastion have ads?

The UnderGrowth shows ads; Aether Bastion does not.

### Which is updated more often, The UnderGrowth or Aether Bastion?

The UnderGrowth ships an update every 5 days, and Aether Bastion monthly. Most recently, The UnderGrowth was updated on October 25, 2026 and Aether Bastion on October 22, 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.*