# Puzzle Forge 2 vs Merchant RPG

The clearest difference is ads: Puzzle Forge 2 at none against Merchant RPG's shown. Puzzle Forge 2 also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Puzzle Forge 2 sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Merchant RPG sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Puzzle Forge 2 against 4.6 for Merchant RPG. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 104 and 276 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Puzzle Forge 2's written reviews are positive against 69% of Merchant RPG's.

Puzzle Forge 2 ships an update every 5 weeks, Merchant RPG every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Puzzle Forge 2 | Merchant RPG |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzle-forge-2/id941581407/reviews) | **[4.6 (276 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-rpg/id1035170074/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 104 | **276** |
| Positive reviews | **70.4% of reviews** | 68.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 160 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.1** | 8.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Tuesday Quest](https://appshunter.io/developer/698081587) | [Retora Game Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/484290233) |

## What reviewers say

### Puzzle Forge 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puzzle-forge-2/id941581407)

Become a blacksmith and forge powerful weapons by combining resources on a board. Sell your creations to heroes, earn gold and experience to upgrade your skills, and discover new heroes attracted by your talent.

**Highlights:** Unique weapon creation system, Combine resources to build weapons, Add gems and enchantments, Earn spells and magic items, Increase blacksmith skills, Meet and serve heroes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1000 Gold | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 Wisdom Stone | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Gold | $3.99 | one-time |
| 6 Wisdom Stones | $4.99 | one-time |
| 30 Wisdom Stones | $19.99 | one-time |
| 50 000 Gold! | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🧠 Strategic depth requiring planning ahead
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and charming art style
- 😄 Humorous character dialogue and personality
- 🔄 Unique merge puzzle mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Game-breaking bugs with frozen boards
- 🐛 Data loss and progress not saving
- 🐛 Tutorial is confusing and inadequate
- 🐛 Shop top shelf items unclickable

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes and freezes during gameplay
- Frozen board bug in tournament mode
- Progress not saving after reinstall
- Top shelf shop items not clickable
- Ads reappearing after purchase removal

**Requested features**

- Undo button for accidental moves
- Ability to delete or sell unwanted weapons
- Comprehensive recipe guide for crafting
- Better and more detailed tutorial
- Chinese language localization


### Merchant RPG

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-rpg/id1035170074)

Manage a fantasy shopkeeping empire by sending heroes on quests for materials and using crafters to create gear. Balance crafting, selling, and hero upgrades to build your trade empire and conquer foes. This offline idle RPG blends tycoon mechanics with traditional RPG elements.

**Highlights:** Send heroes on quests, Craft weapons and armor, Manage shop economy, Upgrade heroes and crafters, Raid bosses, Customize characters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 16 Inventory Slots | $0.99 | one-time |
| 16 Additional Inventory Slots II | $0.99 | one-time |
| 16 Additional Inventory Slots III | $0.99 | one-time |
| 16 Additional Inventory Slots | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock the Jeweler | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hero Slot I | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hero Slot II | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enchanter Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all Shop Themes | $2.99 | one-time |
| Frozen Tome Expansion | $2.99 | one-time |
| Scribe Expansion | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlocks Everything | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Simple yet deep mechanics
- 🎨 Lovely pixel art style
- 💰 Fair monetization model
- ⏱️ Quick progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 Cuts off background audio
- 🤔 Confusing for new players
- 🤖 Lack of combat animations
- 🧠 Repetitive gameplay loop

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not working properly
- Inventory management issues
- Progression-blocking bugs

**Requested features**

- Add save slots or cloud sync
- Improve equipment visuals
- Implement auto-repeat quests
- Provide more guidance for new players


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Puzzle Forge 2 free?

Puzzle Forge 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Merchant RPG free?

Merchant RPG is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Puzzle Forge 2 or Merchant RPG?

Merchant RPG is rated higher. Puzzle Forge 2 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 104 ratings, while Merchant RPG averages 4.6 from 276 ratings.

### Do Puzzle Forge 2 or Merchant RPG have ads?

Merchant RPG shows ads; Puzzle Forge 2 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Puzzle Forge 2 or Merchant RPG?

Puzzle Forge 2 ships an update every 5 weeks, and Merchant RPG every 4 months. Most recently, Puzzle Forge 2 was updated on October 21, 2026 and Merchant RPG 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.*