Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Boom Beach vs Rise of Kingdoms

Boom Beach 4.7★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Boom Beach
Rise of Kingdoms 4.5★ · Free + IAP 55

Boom Beach is the better choice for players seeking a more balanced free-to-play experience with a long-standing community, while Rise of Kingdoms is primarily for those willing to spend significant money to compete.

Full reviews: Boom Beach · Rise of Kingdoms

Boom Beach, despite recent complaints about complexity and monetization, maintains a strong core fanbase and offers a more accessible experience for free players. Rise of Kingdoms is heavily criticized as 'pay-to-win,' making it difficult for free players to progress or compete effectively.

Head to head

Features & Gameplay edge: Boom BeachR5R8R11R12
Boom Beach Boom Beach users appreciate the base building and war aspects, with many enjoying the game for years R5R8. However, recent updates have introduced too much complexity with new systems like squad leaders, gadgets, and feeding bunkers, making it less enjoyable for long-term players . Some also desire new content like statues or radar upgrades R11R12.
Rise of Kingdoms Rise of Kingdoms offers engaging strategy and building, with some users finding it very fun and addictive . However, players complain about extremely long wait times for research and upgrades, sometimes hundreds of days, which makes progression slow . There are also issues with false advertising in the game's promotions, showing gameplay that isn't actually in the app R68R78R85R100.
Ease of Use & Progression edge: Boom BeachR1R2R6R13
Boom Beach Boom Beach is criticized for absurd resource costs and long upgrade times, especially at higher levels R2R6R27R45. Matchmaking is also a significant issue, with players frequently being attacked by much stronger opponents R1R13. Some new players find it difficult to progress past early levels due to high costs .
Rise of Kingdoms Rise of Kingdoms has extremely long wait times for research and upgrades, with some taking hundreds of days, making progression very slow for all players . The game is also plagued by issues with account binding and recovery, leading to lost progress for some users .
Reliability & Support tieR1R4R7R10
Boom Beach Boom Beach users report numerous bugs, game crashes after updates, and issues with lost resources or accounts R4R10. Customer support is widely criticized as unhelpful, automated, and unresponsive, often failing to recover lost accounts R1R7R10.
Rise of Kingdoms Rise of Kingdoms also has issues with account problems, including accounts being blocked without reason and support not helping . Some users report purchasing items for specific features, like kingdom migration, only for them not to work . There are also reports of chat issues, where friends are kicked or muted for long periods .
Price & Value (Free vs. Paid) edge: Boom BeachR22R25R28R34
Boom Beach Boom Beach is increasingly seen as 'pay-to-play' or a 'money grab,' with advancement becoming difficult without spending R22R25R28. Some long-term players feel the game has been ruined by these changes R34. However, some still enjoy it as a free game and note that gems can be earned without purchases R41.
Rise of Kingdoms Rise of Kingdoms is overwhelmingly described as 'pay-to-win' (P2W), with many users stating it's impossible to compete or progress significantly without spending thousands of dollars R63R76R82R84. Free-to-play (F2P) players are seen as existing primarily to provide targets for paying players R82.
Pick Boom Beach if

you prefer a strategy game with a long history and a community, are willing to contend with some recent monetization shifts, and want a game where free progression is still possible, even if slow R8R41.

Pick Rise of Kingdoms if

you are prepared to spend significant amounts of money to compete and advance quickly in a strategy game, or if you enjoy the core gameplay loop and social aspects despite the heavy pay-to-win mechanics R76R82.

Evidence note: Recent reviews for Boom Beach show a noticeable negative trend, often citing issues with monetization and complexity, which contrasts with its high lifetime rating. Rise of Kingdoms' reviews are consistently negative regarding its pay-to-win nature.

Frequently asked

Is Boom Beach a pay-to-win game?
Boom Beach has increasingly become 'pay-to-play' or a 'money grab,' making it difficult to advance without spending money, though some players still manage to progress as free-to-play R22R25R28.
How long does it take to upgrade in Boom Beach?
Upgrading buildings and troops in Boom Beach can take a very long time, with some users reporting two days for a single upgrade at higher levels, and costs are considered absurd R2R6R27R45.
Is Rise of Kingdoms truly pay-to-win?
Yes, Rise of Kingdoms is widely considered a heavily 'pay-to-win' game, with many users stating that free-to-play players struggle significantly and cannot compete with those who spend thousands of dollars R63R76R82R84.
Are the ads for Rise of Kingdoms accurate?
No, many users report that the ads for Rise of Kingdoms are misleading and do not accurately represent the actual gameplay R68R78R85R100.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R5] Boom Beach 5/5 · US Best game ever: I really enjoyed this,i love upgrade my base
  2. [R8] Boom Beach 5/5 · US Greatest game of all time: I had this game for more than 10 years love it 👌🏾
  3. [R11] Boom Beach 5/5 · US New statues: It would be great if you guys would come up with new statues. Maybe you guys need to think about that one thank you but it’s still a great game.
  4. [R12] Boom Beach 3/5 · US Once again!!! NO UPGRADE FOR RADAR????!!!!: Once again!!! NO UPGRADE FOR RADAR????!!!! It’s been stuck on level 20 for years!!! It’s getting boring seeing the same bullSh!!!t map!!! Upgrade already
  5. [R1] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Don’t bother: Game is designed where u drop In and instantly become feeder for players 20 levels higher than you. Makes it super annoying. Doesn’t help I had an account when the game came out and the useless auto support can’t find it. 0/10 do not waste your time
  6. [R2] Boom Beach 4/5 · US Great but the resource costs become absurd: At around level 19 the cost to upgrade buildings becomes too absurd to manage so it needs a rework.
  7. [R6] Boom Beach 3/5 · US Improvements: Takes too long to build bases and costs too much to upgrade troops. The instant troop revive needs to stay all the time as well.
  8. [R13] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Always attacked by super powers: The game isn’t fun anymore. My base always gets attacked by somebody with 5 or 10 times my power so I’m constantly obliterated, sometimes twice a day. Never attacked by an enemy near my own strength. What idiot dreamed up this kind of matched warfare? I’d like to delete my game and start over from zero but there seems to be no way to do so. I really enjoyed th
  9. [R4] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Game sucms: To many bugs and game doesnt even make sense worst game ive ever played
  10. [R7] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Do something Apple store? and leave the people lose the money and leave the company is stealing .: Until now in the day, July 5, 2026 they don’t return my account they give it to the thief When I want to play in this year Before from 2025 when I write in supercell ID, I see my flag in supercell ID Ukraine someone steal my supercell ID when I connect to the Games, I see my Level one where is my old
  11. [R10] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Unplayable: Unable to even boot into the app. Stuck in an account disabled loop on iOS. Messages support with zero response. Games toast if you can’t even start a new account up.
  12. [R22] Boom Beach 2/5 · US Money GRAB: I’ve always enjoyed playing the game. But the last year or so has turned into a money grad. It’s impossible to advance in the game without investing a significant amount of cash.
  13. [R25] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Pay to play: I have played boom beach since it’s inception. They have joined the pay to play club recently. Not to mention the time you have to commit to even stay up in the game. Very disappointing. I would not waste my time on this. The past was fun. No more
  14. [R28] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Game used to be simple and fun: I have played this game since it first was released. It used to be a great way to simply have some fun without having to put too much effort into managing it. I am sorry to say that now it has become overly complicated and difficult to advance unless you pay. Due to those reasons I am giving it a one star rating. It’s a shame that the developers have done this.
  15. [R34] Boom Beach 1/5 · US Not fun anymore, read the most recent reviews: Every update it gets worse, they just can’t leave it alone constantly going for a money grab they can’t help it. Way too complicated. it’s just not fun anymore. Hammerman is impossible anymore
  16. [R41] Boom Beach 5/5 · US One of the best games I have ever played.: The only two things are no one ever has enough wood, and there is not enough balancing for players like I keep getting stuck with not enough wood but to high bases that a can’t destroy to get any wood but it’s a great game don’t listen to the people that say it a pay to win because you can get gems without buying them.
  17. [R27] Boom Beach 3/5 · US Too long: It takes forever to upgrade anything and it costs a ton for it - it was a better game with immediate troop build. At least you have a chance - played a long time ago and came back and you could see how everything was priced higher and longer.
  18. [R45] Boom Beach 3/5 · US Need more updates: The only thing what annoys about this game is Whne u leave 51 to upgrade one things u need 2 days lol and a lot of material.
  19. [R63] Rise of Kingdoms 3/5 · US Pay to win: I think that the developers should make a new kind of kingdom where there are zero purchasable items and everything is free to play, to make it still profitable and therefore useful I think there should be a 10-20 dollar purchase to enter the kingdom, this would make it extremely fun to play and there would be more active players. Sorry for writing a lot but please consider this
  20. [R76] Rise of Kingdoms 2/5 · US The game is P2W: This game is the most pay to win game you will ever play. Wish they had more outlets for people who don’t want to spend thousands of dollars, and yes THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PEOPLE WILL SPEND ON THIS GAME. The game is fun if you weren’t being overruled and surpassed by people who spend $500 a day on this game.
  21. [R82] Rise of Kingdoms 1/5 · US P2w: Most pay to win game i have ever seen in my entire life, its like if ur f2p player in first 5 hour of the game, your power is 100k and the p2w players are 10 million, in this game f2p players are here only for p2w players have more fun
  22. [R84] Rise of Kingdoms 3/5 · US Insane P2W: Unless you’re ready to blast your next paycheck on this game you’ll never be able to compete with others
  23. [R68] Rise of Kingdoms 5/5 · US False advertising: The game ad is wrong. I’ve played this game before.
  24. [R78] Rise of Kingdoms 3/5 · US It’s ok…: It’s a good game I like the building but it for some reason just kinda reminds me of a Clash of Clans remake but it’s still ok. Kinda fake though the ads and game are different
  25. [R85] Rise of Kingdoms 1/5 · US DO NOT GET: I saw many ads for the game in the ads thegame looked fun, but the game was nothing like the ad said would be there’s many ads within the game and you get more ad time than playing time!! Would not recommend this game.
  26. [R100] Rise of Kingdoms 1/5 · US Out right lying in ads?: The gameplay of this game isn’t bad if this is the type of game you like but the lying on ads about advanced management and population is actually crazy and the fact that there’s no consequences the devs are just money hungry and shouldn’t be supported

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store