# XCOM vs NugSmasher®

The clearest difference is review sentiment: XCOM at 51% against NugSmasher®'s 20%. XCOM also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.4). NugSmasher®'s advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

XCOM holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 24 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of XCOM's written reviews are positive against 20% of NugSmasher®'s.

XCOM ships an update every 2 months, NugSmasher® fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XCOM | NugSmasher® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-tbg/id953520552/reviews)** | [3.4 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nugsmasher/id1501395880/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **29** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 182 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Fantasy Flight Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/372272435) | [PMG COS. L.L.C.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501395879) |

## What reviewers say

### XCOM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-tbg/id953520552)

This digital companion app enhances a cooperative board game by managing the alien invasion. It tracks time, presents dynamic invasion plans, and adapts to player decisions, creating a challenging strategic experience to defend humanity.

**Highlights:** Manages alien invasion plans, Tracks in-game time, Dynamic turn structure, Randomized invasion scenarios, Supports cooperative play

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### NugSmasher®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nugsmasher/id1501395880)

Log and manage your rosin press sessions directly from your phone. Access past sessions, share results with the community, and easily find strains by name, rating, or material type. This updated app offers improved design and functionality for a streamlined experience.

**Highlights:** Log press sessions, Access past sessions, Share press results, Search strains by name, Search by rating, Search by material type, Streamlined menu and navigation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XCOM free?

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

### Is NugSmasher® free?

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

### Which has better reviews, XCOM or NugSmasher®?

XCOM is rated higher. XCOM averages 3.7 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while NugSmasher® averages 3.4 from 24 ratings.

### Do XCOM or NugSmasher® have ads?

Neither XCOM nor NugSmasher® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XCOM or NugSmasher®?

XCOM ships an update every 2 months, and NugSmasher® fortnightly. Most recently, XCOM was updated on October 22, 2026 and NugSmasher® 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.*
