# 2 vs Dead Cells

The clearest difference is rating: Dead Cells at 4.8 against 2's 3.4. Dead Cells also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 63%) and ratings volume (12K vs 20). 2's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $8.99) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

2 costs $0.99 and Dead Cells $8.99 up front. 2 sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Dead Cells sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dead Cells holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dead Cells has 12K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of 2's written reviews are positive against 88% of Dead Cells's.

2 ships an update monthly, Dead Cells every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 2 | Dead Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [3.4 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/2-bit-cowboy/id850089184/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells/id1389752090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.8% of reviews | **88.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#10** |
| Size | 40 MB | 1.8 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.1** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Cascadia Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/311034757) | [Playdigious](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041387229) |

## What reviewers say

### 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/2-bit-cowboy/id850089184)

Embark on a Western adventure in this retro-styled action platformer. Play as a customizable cowboy or cowgirl, explore vast levels, and engage in classic Wild West activities like gambling and riding horses. Become a legend of the old West.

**Highlights:** Customizable cowboy characters, Huge levels to explore, Gamble at casinos, Ride horses and minecarts, Retro Gameboy style graphics, Gamepad support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coin Doubler | $0.99 | one-time |
| 3,000 Cents | $1.99 | one-time |
| 9,000 Cents | $2.99 | one-time |
| 18,000 Cents | $3.99 | one-time |


### Dead Cells

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells/id1389752090)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Role Playing, #32 Top Paid · Action, #98 Top Paid · Games, #155 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle as a failed alchemic experiment. Master frantic 2D combat with a variety of weapons and skills against dangerous foes. Death is not the end; learn from each attempt to progress through this roguevania action platformer.

**Highlights:** Roguevania exploration, Frantic 2D action combat, Nonlinear progression, Permadeath with learning, Unlockable weapons and skills, DLC content packs

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Bad Seed | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fatal Falls | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Queen and the Sea | $3.99 | one-time |
| Return to Castlevania | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Excellent controls
- 💎 High-quality graphics
- 🎮 Great controller support
- 🔥 Addictive and challenging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio glitches and bugs
- 🤔 Lack of custom mode
- 📱 Finicky touch controls
- 🔇 No background music support

**Reported bugs**

- Saves not compatible across platforms
- Texture and graphical issues on some devices
- Persistent memory leaks causing performance drops

**Requested features**

- Add Chinese language support
- Implement cross-save functionality
- Introduce online multiplayer mode
- Optimize for older devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 2 free?

2 costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Dead Cells free?

Dead Cells costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 2 or Dead Cells?

Dead Cells is rated higher. 2 averages 3.4 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Dead Cells averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do 2 or Dead Cells have ads?

Neither 2 nor Dead Cells shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 2 or Dead Cells?

2 ships an update monthly, and Dead Cells every 2 months. Most recently, 2 was updated on October 21, 2026 and Dead Cells on October 23, 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.*