Games Like Archero (That Aren't Pay-to-Win)

Archero's one-thumb roguelite action, without the pressure to pay: premium and fair alternatives on Android, with the price of each game's most expensive item so you can judge for yourself.

Archero by Habby made one-thumb roguelite action a hit: you move to dodge, stop to shoot, and pick random skills that stack into a build. It has more than 50 million installs, but many players feel its gear and chests push them to pay. These games offer the same kind of action with less pressure, and we show each one's most expensive item so you can see the difference.

Fair alternatives

Brotato: Premium

A potato with up to six weapons fights waves of aliens in an arena. The premium version costs $4.99, has no ads, and its only extra is a $2.99 purchase. Rated 4.82.

Halls of Torment: Premium

A dark fantasy survivors-like in the style of classic dungeon games. $4.99, no ads, tiny extras, rated 4.73.

Vampire Survivors

The game that started the survivors-like wave. Free with ads, and its only purchases are small expansions up to $3.99.

Soul Knight

A twin-stick dungeon shooter with more than 100 million installs. Free with ads, and nothing in its shop costs more than $25.99.

Dead Cells

If you want deeper action, the premium action roguelite: $8.49, no ads, rated 4.81.

The closest to Archero

Archero 2

Habby's sequel keeps the formula and polishes it ("Roguelike 2.0", as its store page says). It is the closest match, with the same kind of monetization.

20 Minutes Till Dawn

A survivors-like shooter with more than 5 million installs. Free, but with a top item at $149.99, so judge for yourself.

How to spot a pay-to-win roguelite

• Gear that only comes from paid chests. If the best items are random and sold, expect pressure.
• Energy limits on how many runs you can play.
• A very high top price in the store listing.
• Reviews that mention walls that only money breaks.

Premium games avoid all of this by design, which is why most of our fair picks cost a few dollars once. More on the genre in what is a roguelike.

How they compare

Every game on the list is maintained. Note the age ratings: Vampire Survivors and Dead Cells are rated Teen on Google Play, the rest Everyone 10+.

Which one is right for you?

• You want the closest thing to Archero: Archero 2, knowing it has the same kind of shop.
• You want one purchase and no ads: Brotato: Premium or Halls of Torment: Premium, $4.99 each.
• You want free with a small shop: Soul Knight (top item $25.99) or Vampire Survivors (top item $3.99).
• You want deeper, harder action: Dead Cells.
• You play on flights: Brotato: Premium, Halls of Torment: Premium and Vampire Survivors carry Google's Offline tag.

FAQ

Is Archero pay-to-win?

It is free and can be played without paying, but it sells gear, chests and passes, with items up to $124.99. Many players find the pressure strong later in the game.

What is the best game like Archero without pay-to-win?

Brotato: Premium or Halls of Torment: Premium: both cost $4.99 once, show no ads and sell almost nothing else.

Sources

• Google Play store pages (US) of every game listed, September 25, 2026.
• Roguelike, Wikipedia.