Balatro vs Dead Cells
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's a near tie: both score 9.2, with Balatro ahead by a hair, so the right pick depends on what you need. Balatro wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Dead Cells on 2.
Card game fans who love building combos and chasing high scores
Players who want a deep, premium roguelite with no ads or timers
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Balatro | Dead Cells |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Card & Board Games | Action & Shooter Games |
| Category rank | #1 of 8 | #1 of 8 |
| Developer | LocalThunk / Playstack | Playdigious |
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Usable for free | No | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Balatro better than Dead Cells?
It's a near tie: both score 9.2, with Balatro ahead by a hair, so the right pick depends on what you need. Balatro wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Dead Cells on 2.
Which is cheaper, Balatro or Dead Cells?
Balatro: $9.99 once on iOS and Android, no in-app purchases; Balatro+ is on Apple Arcade. Dead Cells: $8.99 on the App Store, $8.49 on Google Play; four DLC packs sold separately. On value for money, Balatro scores higher.
Do Balatro and Dead Cells work on the same devices?
Only Dead Cells runs on Linux.
Which is more private, Balatro or Dead Cells?
Dead Cells scores higher on privacy (9.2/10). App Store label: user content and diagnostics may be collected but are not linked to you, and nothing is used to track you. Google Play lists only app performance data.
Strengths and weaknesses
Balatro
- Every run plays out differently
- Pay once: no ads and no in-app purchases
- Controls feel built for touch, not ported
- The big 1.1 content update still has no release date
- Bad luck can sink a promising run
Balatro takes the poker hands you already know and turns them into a roguelike you'll keep coming back to. You build hands to beat each blind, then bend the rules with more than 150 Jokers, so every run becomes a different combo puzzle. The controls are remastered for touch, and it's a single price with no ads or upsells. Your only real risk is losing whole evenings to one more run.
Full Balatro review
Dead Cells
- One price, no ads, no energy timers
- Combat feels precise even on a touchscreen
- Huge variety of weapons, biomes and bosses
- Major content updates have ended on mobile
- DLC packs cost extra, up to $6.99 each
- Steep difficulty can frustrate newcomers
Dead Cells is the action game to buy if you want one that respects your time and money. Each run through the shifting castle mixes fast, precise combat with weapons and shortcuts you unlock as you go, so even dying feels like progress. The mobile port has thoughtful touch controls, full controller support and all four expansions. Big content updates have ended, so what you get now is the finished game.
Full Dead Cells review
