Slay the Spire vs Wingspan
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
It's close: Slay the Spire edges it 9.0 to 8.9, so the right pick depends on what you need. Slay the Spire wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Wingspan on 2.
Strategy fans who enjoy planning a deck one careful pick at a time
Board gamers and nature lovers who enjoy slow, satisfying strategy
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Slay the Spire | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Card & Board Games | Card & Board Games |
| Category rank | #2 of 8 | #4 of 8 |
| Developer | Mega Crit | Monster Couch |
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Usable for free | No | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Slay the Spire better than Wingspan?
It's close: Slay the Spire edges it 9.0 to 8.9, so the right pick depends on what you need. Slay the Spire wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Wingspan on 2.
Which is cheaper, Slay the Spire or Wingspan?
Slay the Spire: $9.99 once on iOS and Android; Slay the Spire+ is included with Apple Arcade. Wingspan: $9.99 on iOS and Android; expansions sold separately from $9.99. On value for money, Slay the Spire scores higher.
Do Slay the Spire and Wingspan work on the same devices?
Only Slay the Spire runs on Linux.
Which is more private, Slay the Spire or Wingspan?
Slay the Spire scores higher on privacy (9.8/10). App Store label: Data Not Collected. The developer says the iOS version collects no data, so nothing is tracked or linked to you.
Strengths and weaknesses
Slay the Spire
- Deep strategy in every card pick
- No ads, no purchases and no data collection
- A fresh layout, enemies and bosses each run
- Updates are infrequent on mobile
- A steep learning curve for newcomers
Slay the Spire is the deckbuilder most others are measured against, and the mobile version holds up. Each climb offers new cards, relics and branching paths, so you're constantly weighing risk against reward, and no two runs play alike. It's a premium port with no ads, nothing extra to buy and no data collected. Updates are rare now, and the art is functional rather than pretty.
Full Slay the Spire 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
