# Stick Hero vs Gatecrasher

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gatecrasher at none against Stick Hero's 5. Gatecrasher also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Stick Hero's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 496). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stick Hero sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Gatecrasher asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gatecrasher holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stick Hero has 11K ratings behind it against 496, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Stick Hero's written reviews are positive against 74% of Gatecrasher's.

Stick Hero ships an update every 4 months, Gatecrasher every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stick Hero | Gatecrasher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stick-hero/id918338898/reviews) | **[4.5 (496 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gatecrasher/id1240771285/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 496 |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews | **73.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 187 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ketchapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/528065807) | [Ben Grant](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519696982) |

## What reviewers say

### Stick Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stick-hero/id918338898)

Stretch a stick to bridge gaps between platforms and guide a character across. Test your timing and precision to avoid falling. See how far you can progress in this engaging challenge.

**Highlights:** Stretchable stick mechanic, Platform navigation, Timing-based gameplay, Progressive challenges, Score-based progression

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400 Cherries | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Cherries | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3000 Cherries | $4.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Cherries | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Nostalgic and fun gameplay
- 🚀 Addictive and challenging
- 💡 Watermelon mode adds variety
- 👍 Simple and easy to pick up

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and inconsistent stick length detection
- 🔋 Battery draining issues
- 🔍 Lack of instructions for collecting cherries
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for new characters

**Reported bugs**

- Cherries not registering after collecting them
- Ads not properly rewarding players with cherries

**Requested features**

- Ability to save progress and high scores
- Option to disable sound effects
- Cherries used for power-ups or extra lives
- More customization options for characters


### Gatecrasher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gatecrasher/id1240771285)

Navigate a ship through challenging gates using simple directional controls. Avoid collisions to progress in this skill-based arcade game. Test your reflexes and precision in a minimalist, engaging experience.

**Highlights:** Ship control, Gate navigation, Collision avoidance, Two-button controls, Skill-based gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Good casual game
- 🚀 Simple and addictive
- 🚀 Attractive, simple, and fun
- 🚀 No ads or IAP
- 👍 Great game design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Controls are difficult to master
- 🐛 Levels become unreasonably hard after a certain point
- 🐛 Lack of checkpoints or practice mode
- 🐛 Sensitivity issues with controls
- 🐛 Disorienting when at the top of the screen

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on certain devices
- Issues with the 'Linechaser' mode
- Screen orientation problems

**Requested features**

- Add more soundtracks
- Implement a pause button
- Add a scoring system based on gates passed
- Introduce different skill levels or difficulty modes
- Allow customization of controls and sensitivity


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stick Hero free?

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

### Is Gatecrasher free?

Gatecrasher is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Stick Hero or Gatecrasher?

Gatecrasher is rated higher. Stick Hero averages 4.3 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Gatecrasher averages 4.5 from 496 ratings.

### Do Stick Hero or Gatecrasher have ads?

Stick Hero shows ads; Gatecrasher does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stick Hero or Gatecrasher?

Stick Hero ships an update every 4 months, and Gatecrasher every 5 months. Most recently, Stick Hero was updated on October 25, 2026 and Gatecrasher on October 24, 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.*