# Retro TD vs Wavefront

The clearest difference is ads: Retro TD at none against Wavefront's shown. Retro TD also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Wavefront's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retro TD sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Wavefront sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Retro TD ships an update every 3 days, Wavefront every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro TD | Wavefront |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavefront-tower-defense/id6791123508/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 421 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Doug Barrett](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527536178) | [SAMET VOLKAN CAVUSOGLU](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789574184) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro TD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-td/id6770826389)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4 AI Level Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $2.99 | one-time |


### Wavefront

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavefront-tower-defense/id6791123508)

Engage in fast-paced tower defense across diverse worlds and challenging levels. Strategically place and upgrade towers, utilize spells, and defeat waves of monsters to protect your base. Compete on global leaderboards and unlock permanent upgrades.

**Highlights:** Strategic tower placement and upgrades, 100 levels across 5 unique worlds, Permanent armory upgrades, Endless survival arena with leaderboards, Spells and commander abilities, Offline play

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 150 Diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Spell Refreshers | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Vault Starter | $4.99 | one-time |
| Costume Pack 1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Costume Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Golden Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| 800 Diamonds | $8.99 | one-time |
| Vault Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Pass | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1,800 Diamonds | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro TD free?

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

### Is Wavefront free?

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

### Do Retro TD or Wavefront have ads?

Wavefront shows ads; Retro TD does not.

### Which is updated more often, Retro TD or Wavefront?

Retro TD ships an update every 3 days, and Wavefront every 3 weeks. Most recently, Retro TD was updated on October 7, 2026 and Wavefront on October 24, 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.*