Compared with PUBG MOBILE or Fortnite, Brawl Stars trades long survival matches for rounds that last under three minutes, the developer says. Supercell released it on December 11, 2018, and Google Play now shows over 500 million installs. The game is free, carries an Everyone 10+ rating and runs on Android 7.0 or later.
Matches built around under three minutes
What defines Brawl Stars is its match length. The developer promises online PvP arena games in under three minutes, played solo or with friends. That sets it apart from the big battle royale titles among its alternatives, where one round asks for far more time.
The game is filed under battle royale in the catalog, but the developer calls it a mix of MOBA and battle royale made for mobile. Team modes run 3v3 and 5v5, while Showdown can be played solo or as a duo.
A typical session: pick a mode, pick a Brawler, play
A session starts with a mode. Gem Grab asks a team to collect and hold 10 gems, and dying costs you the gems you carry. Brawl Ball is a soccer-style mode where the first side to score two goals wins. Bounty is scored in stars, and Heist has each team break into the other's safe.
Showdown is the survival mode. You collect power-ups for your Brawler and try to be the last one standing. Special events and limited-time modes, both PvE and PvP, rotate in, and the developer says new events arrive daily.
Between matches you work on your roster. Each Brawler has a signature attack and a super ability, and can gain star powers and gadgets. The Brawl Pass adds quests, Brawl Boxes, Gems, pins and a seasonal skin. Leaderboards and clubs cover the social side, and the developer also mentions in-game qualifiers for esports.
Against Fortnite, PUBG MOBILE and Call of Duty
Alternatives to Brawl Stars include PUBG MOBILE, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Blood Strike and two Free Fire crossover editions. Brawl Stars itself is built around short rounds, team sizes of 3 and 5, and a roster of collectible characters rather than a single shared avatar.
Google Play rates it 4.2 from about 26.2 million ratings. The current version is 70.648, updated October 30, 2026.
Brawl Stars pros and cons
Pros
- Rounds are short, with the listing citing under three minutes per match.
- Several modes, including Gem Grab, Brawl Ball, Bounty, Heist and solo Showdown.
- Free to download, with no ads.
- Google Play lists 4.2 from about 26.2 million ratings.
- Works on Android 7.0 and later.
Cons
- In-app purchases exist, including random items, according to the store description.
- Rated Everyone 10+, so it is not aimed at the youngest players.
- Some items, including random ones, cost real money.
Is Brawl Stars safe?
Brawl Stars is made by Supercell, and the developer website given for it is the Supercell help center for the game. To install it, use Google Play. The game shows no ads, but it does sell items for real money, including random ones. If you would rather not spend, you can turn off in-app purchases in your device settings, as the description suggests.
How to install Brawl Stars
- Press the Google Play button on this page.
- Check the listing in the Play Store and press Install.
- Open Brawl Stars when the install finishes. Updates arrive through Google Play.
