Comparison

Sheepshead vs Sheepshead Gold

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Sheepshead

Experience a classic trick-taking card game with this single-player version. Play against computer opponents with various game modes, including tournaments and partner variants. Track your progress with detailed statistics and compete on leaderboards.

Highlights
  • Single-player trick-taking card game
  • Multiple player modes (3, 4, 5 handed)
  • Tournament play
  • Partner variants (Called Ace, Jack of Diamonds)
  • Leaster and Knocking options
  • Detailed play statistics
  • GameCenter integration (leaderboards, achievements)
  • Large print card option
Read full description

Play Sheepshead at any time. Sheepshead is a trick-taking card game. This is a single player version with computer controlled opponents. Sheepshead is played with 7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A in four suits, for a total of 32 cards *** Game Features *** * Supports five handed, four handed, and three handed play modes * Tournaments: The player with the highest score will be delared the winner after ten hands of Sheepshead have been played. * Partner variants of: - Called Ace partner (allows calling of unknown, 10's , or going alone) - Jack of Diamonds - Call up next Jack is enabled by default, this can be disabled in the options menu. In three handed and four handed play the picker does not have a partner. *Leasters: Enable in options menu. If leaster is not enabled and picking is passed by all players, the dealer will pick. * Scoring: Can either be 'Double on the bump' (default) or 'Single on the bump'. * Knocking: Also called rapping or cracking. This can be enabled in the options menu. * Statistics: Keeps track of your play statistics, such as games won, tricks taken, times picked, etc. * GameCenter integration: - Leaderboards: 'High Score' and 'High Tournament Score' - Achievements based on game score and tricks taken * Large Print Cards, if those small cards are just too hard to see! An overview of Sheepshead rules can be found in the support page. ************************************** Double tapping to play a card is supported (it must be enabled in the options menu). If enabled, tapping a card once will select it, and tapping it a second time will play it. This will allow you to change selected cards if you accidentally select the wrong card! Simply tap the correct card, and the first card will be unselected. Tap the second card again to confirm playing it. **************************************

About

Sheepshead Gold

Experience a challenging five-player card game on your mobile device. Play against skilled computer opponents with adjustable difficulty and enjoy offline play. Rules are included for new players.

Highlights
  • Five-player card game
  • Skilled computer opponents
  • Adjustable skill level
  • Offline play supported
  • Includes game rules
  • Portrait and landscape orientation
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Sheepshead Gold! Enjoy one of the world’s most interesting and challenging card games, Sheepshead (or, if you prefer, Schafkopf), anytime, anywhere. Play against four skilled computer opponents in this five-player version of the game. New to Sheepshead? No problem, give it a try and you are sure to find it quite addictive and entertaining! Sheepshead rules are included. • Supports iPhone and iPad • No ads! • No in-app purchases necessary for full enjoyment • Support for either Jack of Diamonds or Call an Ace partner modes, with an intuitive user interface for choosing partner in Call an Ace mode. • Intelligent computer play, with adjustable skill level • Crack/Recrack option • Play even when offline • Works with your iPhone or iPad in either portrait or landscape orientation Comments and suggestions for new features are encouraged. Please submit them to the Sheepshead Gold support email: sheepsheadgold@gmail.com Animals stickers created by Stickers - Flaticon: https://www.flaticon.com/free-stickers/animals

Screenshots

Sheepshead4 screens
Sheepshead Gold4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Sheepshead Gold at none against Sheepshead's shown. Sheepshead Gold also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Sheepshead's advantage is rating (3.3 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (82 vs 8). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sheepshead holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sheepshead has 82 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Sheepshead's written reviews are positive against 30% of Sheepshead Gold's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sheepshead versus Sheepshead Gold: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSheepsheadSheepshead Gold
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (82 ratings) — better3.0 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews35.7% of reviews — better30.0% of reviews
Number of ratings82 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDerek HoffmeisterBrian Tinberg

Customer experience

Sheepshead

All ratings78 ratings
Positive43.6%
Neutral17.9%
Negative38.5%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive35.7%
Neutral14.3%
Negative50.0%

Sheepshead Gold

All ratings7 ratings
Positive42.9%
Neutral28.6%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative40.0%

Bugs and requests

Sheepshead

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • App freezes when picking a hand
  • Game locks up
  • App freezes when starting a new game
  • App constantly crashes during tournaments
  • Takes user to an ad page and won't let back in
Show 8 more
  • Screen goes black after a number of games
  • App freezes when changing options (e.g., player count)
  • Game resets hand if returning to main menu mid-hand
  • AI makes consistently stupid plays
  • Computer player trumping incorrectly
  • Picker trumping the called suit
  • AI overshoots partners
  • AI always backs into trump

Requested features

10 requests
  • Deal cards randomly like a real game
  • Improve AI logic for more realistic play
  • Fix issues with calling loners
  • Adjust scoring for picker not taking a trick
  • Allow card rearrangement in hand
Show 5 more
  • Option to reset points to zero in normal play
  • Improve Leaster programming
  • Don't replay hands in tournaments
  • Fix issue with not being able to bury blind in stick the dealer
  • Turn on large print cards

Sheepshead Gold

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Sheepshead

No in-app purchases

None

Sheepshead Gold

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sheepshead free?
Sheepshead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sheepshead Gold free?
Sheepshead Gold is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sheepshead or Sheepshead Gold?
Sheepshead is rated higher. Sheepshead averages 3.3 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Sheepshead Gold averages 3.0 from 8 ratings.
Do Sheepshead or Sheepshead Gold have ads?
Sheepshead shows ads; Sheepshead Gold does not.
Which is updated more often, Sheepshead or Sheepshead Gold?
Sheepshead ships an update every 3 months, and Sheepshead Gold every 3 months. Most recently, Sheepshead was updated on October 21, 2026 and Sheepshead Gold on October 8, 2026.

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