# PickCrafter vs Forge Ahead

PickCrafter and Forge Ahead both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of PickCrafter's written reviews are positive against 41% of Forge Ahead's. Forge Ahead's advantage is ratings volume (85K vs 14K) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PickCrafter sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Forge Ahead sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PickCrafter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forge Ahead has 85K ratings behind it against 14K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of PickCrafter's written reviews are positive against 41% of Forge Ahead's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PickCrafter | Forge Ahead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickcrafter-mining-and-crafting/id848728690/reviews)** | [4.6 (85K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forge-ahead-be-a-blacksmith/id1485491919/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14K | **85K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.8% of reviews** | 41.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 267 MB | 254 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 12+ |
| Developer | [Fiveamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/848728693) | [Lion Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1362220666) |

## What reviewers say

### PickCrafter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickcrafter-mining-and-crafting/id848728690)

An idle crafting clicker game where you tap to mine blocks, upgrade your pickaxe, and collect resources. Progress even while offline by unlocking biomes, artifacts, and abilities. Compete with friends and achieve milestones in this endless digging adventure.

**Highlights:** Idle clicker gameplay, Incremental upgrades, Craft and upgrade pickaxes, Mine blocks while idle or offline, Unlock biomes and artifacts, Daily rewards and achievements

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Elite Membership - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Large Chest | $0.99 | one-time |
| B & W Pickaxe | $0.99 | one-time |
| Chest Pickaxe | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer - Pickaxe Chest | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Runic | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Greater Special Offer | $6.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Runic | $8.99 | one-time |
| Buckets of Runic | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 🚀 Satisfying mining experience
- 💡 Interesting biome progression
- 🎨 Minecraft-inspired visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- ⏱️ Slow progression without in-app purchases
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔍 Lack of clear instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Teleportation spell not working as intended
- Chest timers not functioning correctly
- Pickaxe abilities not syncing properly

**Requested features**

- Add more biomes and bosses
- Improve the prestige system
- Allow crafting of any pickaxe
- Add more customization options


### Forge Ahead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forge-ahead-be-a-blacksmith/id1485491919)

Mine exotic metals and precious gems, then hammer them into beautifully crafted swords. Run your own armory to display your creations and earn money to unlock even better materials and designs. Enjoy addictive gameplay that lets you earn even when offline.

**Highlights:** Mine exotic metals and gems, Hammer molten metal into swords, Run your own armory, Unlock new materials and designs, Earn money offline, Addictive tap-based mechanics

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tier 1 Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Upgrade Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tier 2 Coins | $6.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Tier 3 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Satisfying forging process
- 🚀 Casual time-killer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of clarity on ore values
- 🔍 Repetitive and limited gameplay
- 💸 Excessive ads and monetization
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to store/save forged swords
- Customers not appearing consistently

**Requested features**

- More ore/material variety and selection
- Additional weapon types beyond swords
- Ability to discard unwanted ores
- More detailed progression and upgrades
- Improved customer/quest system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PickCrafter free?

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

### Is Forge Ahead free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PickCrafter or Forge Ahead?

PickCrafter is rated higher. PickCrafter averages 4.8 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Forge Ahead averages 4.6 from 85K ratings.

### Do PickCrafter or Forge Ahead have ads?

Both PickCrafter and Forge Ahead show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PickCrafter or Forge Ahead?

PickCrafter ships an update monthly, and Forge Ahead monthly. Most recently, PickCrafter was updated on November 6, 2026 and Forge Ahead 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.*