Choose ExoTanks
Choose ExoTanks if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. ExoTanks launched in 2020.
ExoTanks vs ball.io
ExoTanks and ball.io both land in Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. ExoTanks (2020) is 1 year older than ball.io (2021). ExoTanks is free; ball.io is paid (0.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose ball.io
Choose ball.io if you want an Indie, RPG, and Casual experience. ball.io launched in 2021.
Both ExoTanks and ball.io sit in Action and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 ExoTanks |  ball.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play | Action, Indie, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 72% positive (75 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Digital Universe | Ant Design Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- ExoTanks (2020) is 1 year older than ball.io (2021).
- ExoTanks is free; ball.io is paid (0.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
ExoTanks vs ball.io — FAQ
- Should I play ExoTanks or ball.io first?
- If you want chronology, ExoTanks (2020) came out before ball.io (2021). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are ExoTanks and ball.io similar?
- They overlap on Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both ExoTanks and ball.io have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: ExoTanks ships Online Co-op, Co-op; ball.io ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is ExoTanks free?
- Yes — ExoTanks is a free-to-play Steam title. ball.io is paid (0.99 USD).