# Inquisitor's Heartbeat vs Sonar Islands

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Inquisitor's Heartbeat at none against Sonar Islands's 5. Inquisitor's Heartbeat also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.5). Sonar Islands's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 39 months) and review sentiment (60% vs 33%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sonar Islands sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Inquisitor's Heartbeat asks for nothing beyond the download.

Inquisitor's Heartbeat holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonar Islands has 83 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of Inquisitor's Heartbeat's written reviews are positive against 60% of Sonar Islands's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Inquisitor's Heartbeat ships an update every 39 months, Sonar Islands every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Inquisitor's Heartbeat | Sonar Islands |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inquisitors-heartbeat/id892333357/reviews)** | [3.5 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonar-islands/id1554817644/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **83** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **60.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 39 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 169 MB | 288 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Rising Pixel](https://appshunter.io/developer/969944811) | [Hansjoerg Mikesch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422421759) |

## What reviewers say

### Inquisitor's Heartbeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inquisitors-heartbeat/id892333357)

Navigate treacherous dungeons and escape imprisonment by relying solely on sound. Solve puzzles and avoid guards and beasts in a historical setting. Features an endless mode with procedurally generated mazes.

**Highlights:** Sound-based navigation, Stealth gameplay, Puzzle solving, Historical setting, Endless game mode, Labyrinthine levels

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sonar Islands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonar-islands/id1554817644)

Embark on an audio-driven multiplayer adventure across 14 unique islands. Build your empire, explore diverse environments from ancient temples to volcanic landscapes, and engage in various challenges. Full game access requires a subscription.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer online gameplay, Audio-driven events, Empire building, Island exploration and development, Diverse island themes, Tutorial and story modes

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access - monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Full Access - yearly | $29.49 | per year |
| 100 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 500 Diamonds | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Diamonds | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Immersive audio experience
- 👍 Accessible for blind users
- 🎨 Fantastic sound design
- ⭐ Engaging gameplay
- 🕹️ Intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model required to access full game
- 🔇 Repetitive voice acting
- 🕰️ Slow progression without paying
- 🤖 Unresponsive controls at times
- 🔍 Lack of clear in-game instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Compass and navigation issues with iOS 16
- Incorrect Morse code in tutorial
- Inconsistent audio cues

**Requested features**

- Additional free islands to explore
- Option to purchase game outright instead of subscription
- More varied event types and challenges
- Ability to customize islands
- Support for multiple languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Inquisitor's Heartbeat free?

Inquisitor's Heartbeat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sonar Islands free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Inquisitor's Heartbeat or Sonar Islands?

Inquisitor's Heartbeat is rated higher. Inquisitor's Heartbeat averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Sonar Islands averages 3.5 from 83 ratings.

### Do Inquisitor's Heartbeat or Sonar Islands have ads?

Neither Inquisitor's Heartbeat nor Sonar Islands shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Inquisitor's Heartbeat or Sonar Islands?

Inquisitor's Heartbeat ships an update every 39 months, and Sonar Islands every 2 months. Most recently, Inquisitor's Heartbeat was updated on September 24, 2026 and Sonar Islands on October 29, 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.*