Balatro is the better app overall, scoring 9.2 to 8.9. Balatro wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Wingspan on 1, with 1 tied.
Card game fans who love building combos and chasing high scores
Board gamers and nature lovers who enjoy slow, satisfying strategy
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Balatro | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Card & Board Games | Card & Board Games |
| Category rank | #1 of 8 | #4 of 8 |
| Developer | LocalThunk / Playstack | Monster Couch |
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Usable for free | No | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Balatro better than Wingspan?
Balatro is the better app overall, scoring 9.2 to 8.9. Balatro wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Wingspan on 1, with 1 tied.
Which is cheaper, Balatro or Wingspan?
Balatro: $9.99 once on iOS and Android, no in-app purchases; Balatro+ is on Apple Arcade. Wingspan: $9.99 on iOS and Android; expansions sold separately from $9.99. On value for money, Balatro scores higher.
Do Balatro and Wingspan work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac.
Which is more private, Balatro or Wingspan?
Wingspan scores higher on privacy (8.8/10). App Store label: identifiers may be linked to you; usage data and diagnostics are collected but not linked. No tracking is listed.
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
Wingspan
- Faithful to the tabletop game, with no setup
- A relaxing pace with deep engine-building
- Regular fixes and new bird packs through 2026
- All three expansions add over $30 to the price
- A 1.1GB download on iPhone
Wingspan turns one of the best modern board games into a calm, gorgeous app. You attract birds to three habitats, and each card's power chains into the next, so a quiet engine slowly turns into a points machine. Animated birds sing with real recordings, the app handles the bookkeeping, and you can play solo against the Automa or with up to five players. Expansions cost extra, but each adds plenty.
Full Wingspan review
