Comparison

Alchemists vs Potion Explosion

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

Head to head
About

Alchemists

This app acts as a digital companion for a board game, allowing players to scan ingredient cards to discover potion recipes. It also serves as a learning tool for those interested in the game's mechanics, enabling them to practice potion mixing and test their deductive skills without the physical board game.

Highlights
  • Scan ingredient cards
  • Discover potion recipes
  • Learn game rules
  • Practice potion mixing
  • Test ingredient combinations
  • View game answers
Read full description

This is a supplementary app for board game Alchemists from Czech Games Edition. It allows players to scan ingredient cards from the board game to find out what potions they can create. It also help players who do not have the board game, but are interested in the mechanics, to learn the rules or the game. And they can even experience the mixing of potions and try out their skills as academics. So if that's your case follow these steps: 1. Tap [settings], then under Ingredients selection: chose "Select by hand". From now on, you won't need to scan actual cards, you will just chose them mechanically. 2. Tap [Start new game], this will randomize correct solutions. 3. Tap [Drink Potion] to perform your first test. Choose any two ingredients you wish and tap [confirm] to combine them. They will give you a certain color and sign. Note the result. 4. Repeat step 3 as many times as needed, to find out what ingredient contains what alchemical. How many tests do you need to perform to find out all correct answers? To check if all your answers are correct, tap [Final round] and then [Show answers]. If you want to find out more about the rules of the game, you can also tap the INFO button to learn everything there is about mixing potions.x

About

Potion Explosion

This is a digital adaptation of an award-winning puzzle board game where players collect magical ingredients to brew powerful potions. Engage in tactical gameplay, trigger chain reactions, and compete against AI or players worldwide to score the most points.

Highlights
  • Official adaptation of award-winning board game
  • Solo mode against AI
  • Online multiplayer with worldwide leaderboard
  • Tactical gameplay with strategic depth
  • The Fifth Ingredient expansion available
  • Magical universe with enhanced digital elements
Features
Read full description

"Voted best 50 mobile games of 2017" ** The Fifth Ingredient expansion is now available! You'll meet the Professors, concoct unbelievable new Potions and unleash a new ingredient, the Ghost Ectoplasm, in this madcap expansion! The Fifth Ingredient also adds Reward and Scolding tokens. ** The official adaptation of Potion Explosion, the award-winning puzzle board game. Play this game solo or against players from all over the world with Solo, Online and Local Pass & Play modes! In Potion Explosion, you will explode ingredients, trigger chain reactions and gather it all in your caldron. You will then use your hard-earned unicorn tears, fairy dandruff and other magical ingredients to craft powerful mixtures with wacky effects! May the best wizard win! HOW TO PLAY At the beginning of the game, each player is given potions to complete with specific effects and ingredients. You will have to select ingredients in the dispenser; once your selected ingredient is removed, the ingredients above will slide down. If two ingredients of the same nature collide, they explode and you get them too! You can then use your ingredients to cook up your potions. You only have a limited tank space to store remaining ingredients from one turn to another, so choose carefully! Once a potion is completed, you score points, get to use its powerful effect and pick another potion to craft. The wizard with the most points wins! PREPARE FOR THE POTIONS EXAM IN SOLO Play against up to 3 adjustable AIs to sharpen your potion crafting skills! OR PROVE YOUR MASTERY IN MULTIPLAYER MODE! Play against wizards from all over the world online and get to the top of the worldwide leaderboard! To sum up, the game features include: • The magical universe of the board game, fleshed out and digitally enhanced • A tactical gameplay, allowing for different playstyles and strategies • A Solo mode against up to 3 adjustable AIs • An online Multiplayer Mode with a worldwide leaderboard • The Fifth Ingredient expansion: new rules and even more challenges with the arrival of Professors, new Potions and the new Ghost Ectoplasm ingredient. Available from the game shop! To find more information about Asmodee Digital, please go to http://www.asmodee-digital.com/potionexplosion Having an issue? Looking for support? Please contact us: https://asmodee.helpshift.com/a/potion-explosion/ You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and You Tube! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asmodeedigital/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/asmodeedigital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmodeedigital/ You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/asmodeedigital Languages available: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Polish, Simplified Chinese, Japanese. *IMPORTANT* Potion Explosion requires an iPhone 5 (or newer), iPad 4th Generation (or newer), iPad Mini 2 (or newer), or iPod Touch 6th Generation (or newer)

Screenshots

Alchemists2 screens
Potion Explosion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Alchemists at Free against Potion Explosion's $3.99. Alchemists also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (58% vs 40%). Potion Explosion's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (280 vs 23). On rating, ads and device support 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

Alchemists is free to download; Potion Explosion costs $3.99 up front. Potion Explosion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Alchemists asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Alchemists against 4.1 for Potion Explosion. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Potion Explosion has 280 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Alchemists's written reviews are positive against 40% of Potion Explosion's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alchemists ships an update every 3 months, Potion Explosion every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Alchemists versus Potion Explosion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlchemistsPotion Explosion
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.2 (23 ratings) — better4.1 (280 ratings)
Positive reviews57.9% of reviews — better40.2% of reviews
Number of ratings23280 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB192 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCGE Digital s.r.o.Horrible Guild

Customer experience

Alchemists

All ratings23 ratings
Positive78.3%
Neutral4.3%
Negative17.4%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive57.9%
Neutral7.9%
Negative34.2%

Potion Explosion

All ratings273 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral8.8%
Negative19.8%
Written reviews239 reviews
Positive40.2%
Neutral18.8%
Negative41.0%

Bugs and requests

Alchemists

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Potion Explosion

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to complete online games
  • Incorrect scoring and game state displayed
  • Potions and ingredients not functioning as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Notification system for online games
  • Ability to undo moves
  • Random selection of professors
  • More challenging AI opponents

In-app purchases

None

Alchemists

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Potion Explosion

One-time1
  • The Fifth Ingredient$1.99

Questions

Is Alchemists free?
Alchemists is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Potion Explosion free?
Potion Explosion costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alchemists or Potion Explosion?
Alchemists is rated higher. Alchemists averages 4.2 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Potion Explosion averages 4.1 from 280 ratings.
Do Alchemists or Potion Explosion have ads?
Neither Alchemists nor Potion Explosion shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Alchemists or Potion Explosion?
Alchemists ships an update every 3 months, and Potion Explosion every 11 days. Most recently, Alchemists was updated on October 20, 2026 and Potion Explosion on October 21, 2026.

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