# Bracket Maker vs Contested

The clearest difference is update cadence: Contested at every 3 days against Bracket Maker's every 2 months. Contested also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Bracket Maker's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bracket Maker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year and Contested sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bracket Maker ships an update every 2 months, Contested every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bracket Maker | Contested |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 18 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kiryl Nazarau](https://appshunter.io/developer/1762044994) | [Pawel Pyrz-Brown](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896611246) |

## What reviewers say

### Bracket Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bracket-maker-brakora/id6787114452)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Trial | $39.99 | per year |
| Montly Trial | $39.99 | per year |


### Contested

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contested-tournament-brackets/id6793043515)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Contested Pro Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Contested Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Contested Lifetime Unlock | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bracket Maker free?

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

### Is Contested free?

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

### Do Bracket Maker or Contested have ads?

Neither Bracket Maker nor Contested shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bracket Maker or Contested?

Bracket Maker ships an update every 2 months, and Contested every 3 days. Most recently, Bracket Maker was updated on September 15, 2026 and Contested on September 17, 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.*