Comparison

DAVE THE DIVER vs Payday Panic

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DAVE THE DIVER

Explore the ocean depths by day, catching fish and uncovering mysteries, then run a bustling sushi restaurant by night. This adventure, RPG, and management hybrid offers casual combat, resource gathering, and a charming narrative with a unique art style. A free trial is available before unlocking the full experience with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Underwater exploration and fishing
  • Sushi restaurant management
  • Casual combat and gathering
  • Rogue-like elements
  • Character-driven narrative
  • Unique 2D/3D art style
  • Minigames and side quests
Features
Read full description

*TRY BEFORE YOU BUY* Play the opening portion for free. A one-time purchase unlocks the full game. DLC expansions are available as separate in-app purchases. With 130,000+ reviews and a 96% Overwhelmingly Positive rating, Dave the Diver is coming to mobile. The mobile version is a full port of the original PC game. [An adventure, RPG, management hybrid] Explore and unravel the mysteries in the depths of the Blue Hole by day and run a successful exotic sushi restaurant by night. It’s easy to get hooked on the satisfying gameplay loop! [Casual combat and gathering gameplay with rogue-like elements] Dive into the ever-changing Blue Hole and use a harpoon and other weapons to catch fish and various creatures. Upgrade and forge equipment with collected resources and sushi restaurant profits to prepare for the dangers that lurk in the unknown. Running out of oxygen means leaving collected items and fish behind! [Eccentric characters with a lighthearted narrative] Quirky but lovable characters and a story full of in-jokes, spoofs, and other humorous scenes provide an approachable and enjoyable gameplay experience. [A beautiful sea environment with attractive 2D/3D Art] A combination of pixel and 3D graphics provides a stunning art style that showcases breathtaking underwater scenery. This oceanic adventure is set in the real marine environment of a Blue Hole filled with over 200 kinds of sea creatures. [Ample additional content to complement the main gameplay loop] Minigames, side quests, and multiple storylines provide many hours of entertainment and varied gameplay. [Supported Devices] This game requires a device with 6GB of RAM or more. iPhone: iPhone 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 / 16 Plus / 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, iPhone 17 / 17 Plus / 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, or newer iPad: iPad (11th gen, 2025), iPad mini (7th gen, 2023), iPad Air (5th gen, 2022) / iPad Air (M2) / iPad Air (M3), iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd gen, 2020), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th gen, 2020), or newer

About

Payday Panic

Smash piggy banks to collect coins and pay bills before deadlines in this arcade-style game. Upgrade skills, unlock hammers, and explore different office environments. Play offline with optional rewarded videos.

Highlights
  • Smash 14 types of piggy banks
  • Earn coins through combos and critical hits
  • Pay bills with real due dates
  • Build skills and unlock hammers
  • Explore 15 illustrated workspaces
  • Play offline
  • Optional rewarded videos
Features
Read full description

The rent is due. The lamp is on. Your savings are locked inside a piggy bank, and you are holding a hammer. Payday Panic is a late-night arcade smasher. Crack piggy banks for coins, chain combos without missing, and pay every bill before the collector knocks. Miss a deadline and the office changes around you. SMASH - 14 piggy types that crack, run, heal, split and fight back EARN - combos, critical hits, frenzy, bosses and physical cash rewards PAY - readable bills, real due dates and a permanent payment history BUILD - a deep skill web, permanent training, 16 illustrated hammers and automatic desk artifacts EXPLORE - 15 illustrated workspaces and a living office between shifts UNWIND - Piggy Shuffle, Stamp Stack and Quick Count in the Break Room START AGAIN - turn a completed career into permanent Credit Stars Original lo-fi music, detailed haptics and full iPhone and iPad support. No forced ads. Optional rewarded videos are always your choice. Optional support includes a lifetime Union Card and a no-reward coffee tip. Plays offline. Just you, the hammer and the bills.

Screenshots

DAVE THE DIVER4 screens
Payday Panic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DAVE THE DIVER at 4.2 against Payday Panic's 1.0. DAVE THE DIVER also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (332 vs 1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. DAVE THE DIVER sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Payday Panic sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DAVE THE DIVER holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DAVE THE DIVER has 332 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DAVE THE DIVER ships an update every 4 days, Payday Panic every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
DAVE THE DIVER versus Payday Panic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDAVE THE DIVERPayday Panic
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (332 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews58.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings332 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 5 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size3.4 GB49 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperMintrocketArtem Baygot

Customer experience

DAVE THE DIVER

All ratings330 ratings
Positive77.3%
Neutral6.4%
Negative16.4%
Written reviews212 reviews
Positive58.0%
Neutral15.6%
Negative26.4%

Payday Panic

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

DAVE THE DIVER

One-time2
  • In the Jungle Content Pack$4.99
  • DAVE THE DIVER Full Version$9.99
2 purchases

Payday Panic

One-time2
  • Night Crew Coffee$0.99
  • Union Card$3.99

Questions

Is DAVE THE DIVER free?
DAVE THE DIVER is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Payday Panic free?
Payday Panic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DAVE THE DIVER or Payday Panic?
DAVE THE DIVER is rated higher. DAVE THE DIVER averages 4.2 out of 5 from 332 ratings, while Payday Panic averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do DAVE THE DIVER or Payday Panic have ads?
Payday Panic shows ads; DAVE THE DIVER does not.
Which is updated more often, DAVE THE DIVER or Payday Panic?
DAVE THE DIVER ships an update every 4 days, and Payday Panic every 5 days. Most recently, DAVE THE DIVER was updated on October 31, 2026 and Payday Panic on October 31, 2026.

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