# John Mad Run vs Brotato

The clearest difference is rating: Brotato at 4.7 against John Mad Run's 4.2. Brotato also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (11K vs 12). John Mad Run's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brotato sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. John Mad Run asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brotato holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brotato has 11K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of John Mad Run's written reviews are positive against 79% of Brotato's.

John Mad Run ships an update every 3 months, Brotato every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | John Mad Run | Brotato |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/john-mad-run/id844148083/reviews) | **[4.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brotato/id6445884925/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 617 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Happymagenta UAB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1105393733) | [Erabit Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1611119800) |

## What reviewers say

### John Mad Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/john-mad-run/id844148083)

Embark on a relentless fight for survival as John, a target with deadly skills. Wield powerful weapons like a laser and sword to decimate hordes of enemies, master your reflexes to dodge traps, and leave a trail of bloody destruction.

**Highlights:** Intense run'n'gun gameplay, Unlockable laser weapon, Melee combat with a sword, Dodge deadly traps, High-octane enemy elimination

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Retro pixel art style with good graphics
- 🎵 Great soundtrack and audio design
- 💰 Minimal in-app purchases and ads
- ⚡ Simple and easy to pick up controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Screen display issues (half screen visibility)
- 🐛 Unresponsive and buggy controls
- 🐛 Weapon firing lag and unresponsiveness
- 🐛 Secondary weapon (knife/sword) stops working mid-run

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch (iOS 17)
- Screen only displays half the game interface
- Controls unresponsive to swipe inputs
- Firing mechanism requires rapid tapping to work
- Knife/sword stops functioning after 2-3 runs

**Requested features**

- More weapons and gun variety
- Character customization and outfit options
- Power-ups and special abilities
- Boss encounters and story mode
- Multiple level maps and scenery changes


### Brotato

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brotato/id6445884925)

Survive endless alien hordes as a lone potato in this top-down arena shooter roguelite. Scavenge, build powerful combinations with up to six weapons, and choose from diverse characters to create unique playstyles. Every run offers a new challenge, demanding strategic decisions to survive until rescue.

**Highlights:** Up to 6-weapon combat system, Dozens of playable characters, Fast-paced roguelite runs, Deep build system with hundreds of items, Survival gameplay with auto-firing, Cloud saves available online

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beginner Totem Pack | $0.49 | one-time |
| spuds_30 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $0.49 | one-time |
| month_vip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beast Master | $0.99 | one-time |
| Abyssal Terrors 01 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Brotato Abyssal Terrors | $2.99 | one-time |
| spuds_170 | $2.99 | one-time |
| permanent_vip | $15.99 | one-time |
| No ads | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Fun and addictive
- 🔥 Great for killing time
- 💯 Best mobile game ever
- 🎨 Awesome graphics and art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 🔒 Locked characters behind paywall
- 🔍 Lack of progression without spending money
- 🕰️ Repetitive gameplay after a while
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Tutorial forces players to repeat it every time
- Weapon stats get lost on upgrade
- Reroll exploit with saved money
- Speed bug causing issues with gameplay
- Turrets spawning in poor locations

**Requested features**

- Endless mode
- Multiplayer co-op
- More character variety
- Ability to unlock characters through gameplay
- Improved progression system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is John Mad Run free?

John Mad Run is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Brotato free?

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

### Which has better reviews, John Mad Run or Brotato?

Brotato is rated higher. John Mad Run averages 4.2 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Brotato averages 4.7 from 11K ratings.

### Do John Mad Run or Brotato have ads?

Brotato shows ads; John Mad Run does not.

### Which is updated more often, John Mad Run or Brotato?

John Mad Run ships an update every 3 months, and Brotato every 11 days. Most recently, John Mad Run was updated on November 1, 2026 and Brotato on November 8, 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.*