Azur Lane: Free Gacha Game for iPhone and Android
Last updated: 5 October 2026
Azur Lane is a side-scrolling shooter with role-playing elements, in which you build a fleet of up to six ships and fight through naval battles. Each of its more than 300 Second World War warships is drawn as an anime character. It first launched in China in 2017, and the English version is published by Yostar.
The game is free to download. It makes its money from Gems, which cost £0.99 to £79.99 on the UK App Store, checked on 5 October 2026. New ships come from random draws, which is what makes it a gacha game, and Apple's listing says it contains loot boxes.
The UK App Store rates it 18+ and Google Play rates it PEGI 16, because of suggestive themes and nudity.
Get Azur Lane free on the App Store
How Azur Lane plays
Battles scroll from left to right. You steer the front line of your fleet around enemy fire while your ships fire guns and torpedoes. Battleships and carriers in the back line add heavy shells and air strikes. You can control a battle yourself or let the game play it automatically, which helps once you are replaying earlier stages to level up.
Between battles you equip ships, upgrade them and work through a story campaign split into chapters. There is also a dorm where your characters relax, and a small number of characters move and react through Live2D animation.
What makes Azur Lane a gacha game
Most new ships come from construction, which is a random draw. You spend in-game resources and get a ship of a random rarity, so you cannot buy a particular character outright. That random element is the gacha mechanic, named after Japanese capsule-toy machines.
Apple's UK listing flags the game as containing loot boxes, and Google Play lists in-game purchases that include random items. You can play without paying, but the random draws can encourage spending if you are chasing a particular ship.
Azur Lane prices in the UK
These are the in-app purchases on the UK App Store:
- Handful of Gems: £0.99
- Pile of Gems: £4.99
- Sack of Gems: £9.99
- Box of Gems: £19.99
- Chest of Gems: £39.99
- Ship of Gems: £79.99
- Trade License, 30 days: £7.99
- Cruise Pass: £9.99 for the current pass
If you play on a family device, switch on Ask to Buy or Screen Time purchase limits on iPhone, or purchase approval in Google Play, before handing it over. That stops Gems being bought without a password.
Age rating and content
The UK App Store rates Azur Lane 18+. Apple's listing names frequent mature or suggestive themes, infrequent sexual content or nudity, weapons, loot boxes and in-game chat. Google Play rates it PEGI 16. Both ratings mean it is not suitable for children.
Platforms and requirements
- iPhone and iPad: a download of about 4 GB, so clear some space first
- Android: on Google Play, with over five million downloads
- Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 from about 490 ratings on the UK App Store, and 4.0 from 161,000 reviews on Google Play
- Language: English on the global version
Get Azur Lane
Free to download, with Gems and passes sold as in-app purchases.
Download Azur Lane from the App Store
On Android, get it from Azur Lane on Google Play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Azur Lane free to play?
Yes. Azur Lane is free to download and play. Gems, passes and the Trade License cost real money.
Does Azur Lane have loot boxes?
Yes. Apple's UK listing says the game contains loot boxes, and new ships come from random construction draws.
What age is Azur Lane for?
18+ on the UK App Store and PEGI 16 on Google Play, because of suggestive themes and nudity in the character art.
How much do Gems cost in Azur Lane?
From £0.99 for a Handful of Gems to £79.99 for a Ship of Gems, according to the UK App Store on 5 October 2026.
Who makes Azur Lane?
It was created by the Chinese studios Shanghai Manjuu and Xiamen Yongshi. Yostar publishes the English version.
Official sources
Prices and ratings are correct at the time of the last update and can be changed by the publisher or the app stores.
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