Balatro vs Slay the Spire 2
A polished solo poker roguelike at $1-2 an hour versus an early-access co-op deckbuilder with a steeper price and frequent patches.
Updated 15d ago
Definitive deck-building poker roguelike that holds up past 100 hours, with free Friends of Jimbo updates adding new collab card packs.
Still the best in its genre — the new multiplayer co-op alone justifies the buy even in early access.
By the numbers
Prices checked Oct 8; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Oct 8.
| Measure | Balatro | Slay the Spire 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Value Balatro wins on value | ||
| Price now | $11.99 −20% · Fanatical | $24.99 Steam |
| All-time low | $10.15 | $24.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.58/hr $11.99 · 8 h main story | $2.61/hr $24.99 · 10 h main story |
| Off its low | +18% low was Jul 2026 | At its low low was Mar 2026 |
| Main story | 8 h | 10 h |
| Health Balatro wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 98% 200k reviews | 61% 204k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 97% 1k votes · vs 98% lifetime | 72% 4k votes · vs 61% lifetime · improving |
| Peak players | 9,690 Sep 2026 · ↓ 3% MoM | 101,134 Sep 2026 · ↓ 4% MoM |
| Launch peak | 28% of Feb 2024 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 | 18% of Mar 2026 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 |
| All-time peak | 43,825 Jan 2025 | 574,638 Mar 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 24 months ago | 8 weeks ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 4 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Balatro
The addictive roguelike loop of Balatro, with its endless joker and tarot combos, keeps 100+ hour players chasing new synergies.
The reliance on early-game luck and frequent restarts after bad tags or discards is the frustration veterans with 100+ hours consistently hit.
from our May 2026 verdict
Slay the Spire 2
The new four-player co-op hooks even skeptical friends, and regular updates keep the card pool evolving
Ascension 10 balancing draws consistent frustration — brutal enemy scaling and RNG-heavy bosses feel unfair to many
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Balatro if
- You want a complete, stable game with no early-access caveats
- You prefer solo runs and 15-minute commute sessions on mobile
- You already love Slay the Spire or Monster Train but want poker-hand deckbuilding
Pick Slay the Spire 2 if
- You and a friend want to build decks together in co-op
- You enjoy frequent balance patches and watching a game evolve
- You've played the original Slay the Spire and want a fresh card pool
Bottom line
Pick Balatro if you want a finished, cheaper solo deckbuilder with better review scores; pick Slay the Spire 2 only if co-op with friends outweighs its early-access status and lower reception.