Comparison

Dots Strategy vs Dots on Paper

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

Head to head
About

Dots Strategy

Features
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Dots is a beautifully crafted strategy board game where you capture territory by encircling your opponent's dots. Simple to learn, impossible to master. CLASSIC GAMEPLAY Place dots on the board, form chains, and surround your opponent's dots to capture them. The player who captures the most wins. Every move matters; one wrong dot and you could lose it all. 110-LEVEL CAMPAIGN Journey through 10 themed worlds with unique challenges: Race, Blitz, Survival, Puzzle, Sprint, and Perfect modes. Earn up to 3 stars per level and unlock new worlds as you progress. THREE AI DIFFICULTY LEVELS โ€ข Easy: Perfect for learning the ropes โ€ข Medium: A serious challenge for experienced players โ€ข Hard: A near-unbeatable AI with deep strategic thinking PLAY ONLINE Challenge friends or match with random opponents in real-time. Create private rooms with PIN codes, send game invitations, or spectate live matches. BUILT-IN TUTORIAL Never played Dots before? Our interactive step-by-step tutorial teaches you the rules in under 2 minutes. LEADERBOARD & RANKINGS Climb the global rankings. Track your wins, losses, and capture stats. See how you stack up against players worldwide. SOCIAL FEATURES Add friends, send game invitations, chat during matches, and react with emojis. Voice chat available for online games. CUSTOMIZE YOUR STYLE Unlock dot skins, board themes, capture animations, and profile frames. Earn coins through gameplay or watch optional rewarded ads. DAILY REWARDS Log in daily to claim escalating coin bonuses. Keep your streak alive for bigger rewards. CLEAN, MODERN DESIGN A minimal, distraction-free interface designed for focus and flow. Available in English and French. Dots is free to play with optional in-app purchases for coins and cosmetics. Rewarded video ads can be watched for bonus coins and removed with a one-time purchase.

About

Dots on Paper

Features
Read full description

The game from the last row of desks, exactly as you remember it, only fast. Squared paper, a red pen and a blue one, and an opponent who has already moved. Dots (Kropki) is the classic pen-and-paper game of encirclement: place dots on the grid, close a chain around your opponent's, and the ground inside is yours. The rules take a minute to learn; the depth lasts for years. This version is the blitz that never existed: 60 seconds for the whole match, 10 seconds a move. Whoever sees the board fastest wins. A NOTEBOOK, NOT AN APP Real squared paper with a margin, ballpoint ink, hand-drawn hatching over captured ground. Every move is drawn the way it would be drawn at a school desk. You won't find a glossy button or a particle effect anywhere in it. TEN OPPONENTS From a daydreaming beginner to the Grandmaster of the Notebook. Each one makes mistakes its own way, like a person rather than a throttled machine. King of the Hill: ten wins in a row, and one loss sends you back to the bottom. TOURNAMENT RULES Yes, Dots has a federation and published competition rules. Sport mode plays by them: the starting cross, strict alternation, an Elo rating and real ranks you can lose. PLAYS OFFLINE On a plane, in the subway, at a cabin: all ten opponents, the mountain and free play work with no internet and no account. TWO PLAYERS, ONE PHONE Pass and play: one screen, two pens. Hand the phone across the desk the way you'd hand over the notebook. PLAY WITH PEOPLE Over Game Center: invite a friend, stake a match against a stranger, or enter the weekly tournament. There is no account to create. It's you, an opponent, and the paper. 47 ACHIEVEMENTS From First Win to the Grandmaster title, with a shelf of shame for those who resign. Game Center keeps the score. FAIR BY DESIGN The game is free, and ads play only when you ask for one: watch it, pocket the coins. Nothing you buy affects the match. Pens, watches and manicures change how your hand looks, never how the game plays. There are no hints and no undo: a placed dot is placed. Place a dot. The clock is already running.

Screenshots

Dots Strategy4 screens
Dots on Paper4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dots on Paper at none against Dots Strategy's 10. Dots on Paper also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Dots Strategy sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Dots on Paper asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dots Strategy ships an update fortnightly, Dots on Paper weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Dots Strategy versus Dots on Paper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDots StrategyDots on Paper
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly โ€” better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size49 MB128 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDorny MubaIllia Riznyk

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Dots Strategy

One-time10
  • Hologram Dot Skin$1.99
  • Lava Dot Skin$1.99
  • Shockwave Animation$1.99
Show 7 more
  • Fireworks Animation$1.99
  • Aurora Board Theme$2.99
  • Diamond Profile Frame$2.99
  • Neon Glow Profile Frame$2.99
  • Rainbow Dot Skin$2.99
  • Obsidian Board Theme$2.99
  • Rainbow Crown Frame$3.99
None

Dots on Paper

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dots Strategy free?
Dots Strategy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dots on Paper free?
Dots on Paper is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dots Strategy or Dots on Paper have ads?
Both Dots Strategy and Dots on Paper show ads.
Which is updated more often, Dots Strategy or Dots on Paper?
Dots Strategy ships an update fortnightly, and Dots on Paper weekly. Most recently, Dots Strategy was updated on October 7, 2026 and Dots on Paper on October 16, 2026.

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