# Drone vs Gunship Operator 3D

Drone and Gunship Operator 3D both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 76% of Drone's written reviews are positive against 43% of Gunship Operator 3D's. Gunship Operator 3D's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (22K vs 1.2K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drone sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Gunship Operator 3D sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Gunship Operator 3D holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gunship Operator 3D has 22K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Drone's written reviews are positive against 43% of Gunship Operator 3D's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Drone ships an update every 3 months, Gunship Operator 3D weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drone | Gunship Operator 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-shadow-strike/id824808682/reviews) | **[4.6 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gunship-operator-3d/id1672368370/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 43.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 505 MB | 454 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Reliance Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673672114) | [Voodoo](https://appshunter.io/developer/714804730) |

## What reviewers say

### Drone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-shadow-strike/id824808682)

Engage in covert aerial warfare as a special ops operator, piloting advanced drones with a vast arsenal. Strategize and execute air strikes in immersive, real-world inspired environments to complete challenging missions and dominate the battlefield.

**Highlights:** Pilot 8 types of advanced UCAVs, Arsenal of weapons: cannons, missiles, rockets, bombs, 34 missions across 5 campaigns, Live Events and Global Leaderboard, Upgradeable drone systems, Intuitive touch controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stack of Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cash Doubler Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Starter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| “Bring The Rain” | $14.99 | one-time |
| Crate of Gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| Stealth Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Cyberhawk Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Truckload | $29.99 | one-time |
| Wraith Bundle Pack | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game older than you think
- 🚀 Awesome game with or without spending money
- 👍 Very nostalgic and fun
- 👍 Pleasantly surprised with gameplay and no money grabbing
- 👍 Truly the best game ever

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lame money grab, forces ads to progress
- 🐛 Drone repair feature doesn't work as advertised
- 🐛 Paid for gold but didn't receive it
- 🐛 Glitch where can't get past drone abilities screen after purchase
- 🐛 Paid for higher in-app purchase but never received it

**Reported bugs**

- Rewards don't register in leaderboard
- Longbow cannon damage gets nerfed after upgrading
- Game resets progress after update
- Game crashes or freezes frequently
- Game won't load or open after update

**Requested features**

- Add Ukraine-Russia War Mode and US-China Cold War Mode
- Add free roam mode with no missions, just blowing things up
- Add more levels and maps
- Add ability to convert in-game cash to gold
- Add more weapons and drones


### Gunship Operator 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gunship-operator-3d/id1672368370)

Pilot a military gunship and engage in combat missions worldwide. Upgrade your weapons and tools to enhance your effectiveness in defeating enemies. Experience intense aerial warfare from a unique perspective.

**Highlights:** Pilot military gunship, Global combat missions, Weapon and tool upgrades, Defeat enemies, Intense aerial warfare

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Presidential Pass Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Small Energy Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Weapon Unlock | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ticket Pack 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pack 5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ticket Pack 7 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Weapon Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Oil Bundle | $8.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pack 10 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Presidential Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle - Special Offer | $14.99 | one-time |
| Weapon Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Coin Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pack 20 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Ticket Pack 20 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 3-in-1 Mega Bundle | $24.99 | one-time |
| Weapon Bundle | $24.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Presidential Pass | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 🚀 Great graphics
- 💡 Variety of weapons
- 🎮 Enjoyable game experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Repetitive missions
- 🔒 Locked weapons difficult to obtain
- 🔋 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Audio issues after ads
- Ads freezing the game
- Progression bugs (e.g., no promotion)
- Enemies not appearing as intended

**Requested features**

- Custom loadout options
- More challenging missions
- Ability to unlock all weapons
- Reduced ads or ad-free option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drone free?

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

### Is Gunship Operator 3D free?

Gunship Operator 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Drone or Gunship Operator 3D?

Gunship Operator 3D is rated higher. Drone averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Gunship Operator 3D averages 4.6 from 22K ratings.

### Do Drone or Gunship Operator 3D have ads?

Both Drone and Gunship Operator 3D show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drone or Gunship Operator 3D?

Drone ships an update every 3 months, and Gunship Operator 3D weekly. Most recently, Drone was updated on October 17, 2026 and Gunship Operator 3D on October 18, 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.*