# Merchant of the Skies — Cozy offline trading sim

> Cozy airship trading simulation with exploration, empire building, and offline play. (iPhone/iPad app by Astral Ride.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-of-the-skies/id6754459969 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Astral Ride](https://appshunter.io/developer/1848379057)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Simulation, Strategy
- Price: $7.99
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 118 App Store ratings · 47 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 299 MB
- Languages: Russian, American English, European Spanish, Italian, Korean, German (Germany), Brazilian Portuguese, Thai, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan), Chinese (Simplified, China) and 2 more
- Released: 2026-04-14
- Data updated: 2026-09-08
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-of-the-skies/id6754459969/reviews.md

## What is Merchant of the Skies?

One-time purchase. No ads, no in-app purchases.
87% Very Positive on Steam: 1,426 reviews.

A world of floating islands drifts above the clouds. You are its merchant.

Chart your own course through a living sky, discover trade routes between 
island settlements, and build a trading empire at your own pace. No missions 
pushing you forward. No timers ticking down. Just the open sky, your airship, 
and endless possibility.

This is a cozy trading simulation where you set the rules.

What you will do:

- Master trading routes: find the most profitable paths, exploit dynamic markets, and compound your wealth across the islands
- Explore a procedural world: every playthrough reveals new secrets, quirky characters, and unique encounters at every island
- Build and automate: buy islands, set up production chains, deploy caravans for passive income while you explore
- Design your sky mansion: 200+ customizable blocks to build and showcase your skyborne headquarters
- Play fully offline: no internet required, no session limits, play anywhere at any time
- Enjoy a complete story: a rich campaign to restore the world, followed by unlimited sandbox mode with no endpoint
- Trade strategically: prices shift with supply and demand across a living market system
- Discover island stories: meet traders, outcasts, and wanderers scattered across the sky
- Build your legacy: grow from a single ship to a full merchant empire spanning the islands
- No interruptions: one-time purchase, yours forever, no pay-to-win mechanics

For fans of cozy trading simulations, tycoon builders, and sandbox strategy games.

## Key features

- Master trading routes and exploit dynamic markets
- Explore a procedurally generated world
- Build and automate production chains
- Design and customize your sky mansion
- Play fully offline
- Complete story campaign and unlimited sandbox mode
- Trade strategically with dynamic pricing

## Chart rankings

- #107 in Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)
- #96 in Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 47)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-of-the-skies/id6754459969/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Used to love the game

*2026-09-01*

This game has been fun and atmospherically pleasing to me, but since the recent update I can't stand it. The new navigation control responds to clicks instantly, making it frustrating to just look around the map and compare islands. Maybe this is okay with a mouse, but not on a touchscreen. The new trade menu is efficient, but I liked seeing the item artwork and considering trades visually. It should be switchable.

Edit: Thank you for the prompt response. I haven't uninstalled, and look forward to a future update that strikes the right balance on controls and display!

**Developer response:** Thank you for taking the time to write this, and sorry the update changed the feel of the game for you. You're right that browsing the map on a touchscreen shouldn't be this delicate, and we're working on improvements to map navigation right now. Glad the new trade menu at least earns "efficient" from you. We hope a future update wins you back

### 1/5 — Trou d'air

*2026-08-28*

Ce jeu est débile ou mal expliqué. Ma première mission est de livrer une lettre sur une île si lointaine que je n'ai pas les réserves pour l'atteindre. Les noms des îles ne sont pas traduits, la navigation sur la carte peu ergonomique, je ne comprends pas les critiques positives. Seul le modèle commercial est bon.

**Developer response:** Bonjour, merci pour ce retour direct. Vous avez raison sur la première mission : elle ne devrait pas vous envoyer si loin avec si peu de réserves, et nous travaillons sur des améliorations du début de partie ainsi que de la navigation sur la carte. Merci d'avoir pris le temps de nous écrire, c'est ce genre de message qui nous aide à progresser.

### 3/5 — Enjoyable game - recent update is mixed

*2026-08-27*

Game is overall a lot of fun. Recent update improved the trade screen, which makes resource movements better. But also now has challenges with navigation when I just want to view what’s in a town. And holding on the screen to try to click the right place to see in the town now also carries the risk your ship is just going to start moving and waste your fuel, which is a limited resource. There’s no option to turn off this “improved” navigation feature. Very frustrating

**Developer response:** Thanks for the detailed and fair review. You're right: viewing a town should never put your ship at risk of sailing off and burning fuel, and we're working on improvements to exactly that. Happy to hear the new trade screen is working well for you. Feedback this specific is genuinely useful, so thank you.

### 5/5 — Исправьте баг с достижением

*2026-08-24*

Все супер! Игра отличная, но есть баг с достижениями. Я играл без интернета, восстановил ботанический сад, но при подключении к интернету достижение так и не отметилось, хотя сад уже восстановлен

**Developer response:** Спасибо за отзыв и за точное описание бага! Вы правы, достижения, полученные без интернета, не всегда засчитываются при повторном подключении, и мы работаем над улучшениями в этой части. Обновите игру до последней версии, а если достижение так и не откроется, напишите нам через контакт поддержки на странице игры, поможем разобраться.

### 5/5 — Beautiful

*2026-08-08*

I never leave a review for any game let alone a mobile one but i can honestly say this game is absolutely beautiful, Simple “cozy” trading game with a fun and captaining story elements with well written characters and it’s so refreshing to have a game where it lets you figure out what to do and doesn’t hold you hand, Subtle brag but i’ve finished the campaign with a total of £2,670 million help in most part to the bank with its interest rates. All round a fantastic play. Hope you Guys and Gals have to opportunity to make more

**Developer response:** A first-ever review is an honor, thank you! Letting players figure things out without hand-holding is very much on purpose, so it's great to hear it clicked. And 2,670 million is seriously impressive, the bank thanks you for your loyal business. We'd love the chance to make more, and reviews like yours are what make that possible.

### 5/5 — Super jeu

*2026-07-24*

Tres bon jeu avec un debut et une fin

**Developer response:** Merci beaucoup ! "Un début et une fin", c'est exactement ce qu'on aime dans les jeux premium : une vraie aventure complète, sans artifices. Ravi que le voyage vous ait plu. Bon commerce dans les nuages ! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Excellent jeu de gestion

*2026-07-19*

Très jolis graphismes pixel art et excellent jeu de gestion !

**Developer response:** Merci beaucoup ! Ravi que le pixel art et la gestion vous plaisent, c'est exactement le mélange qu'on voulait mettre en avant. Bon commerce dans les nuages ! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Gutes Spiel

*2026-07-17*

Gutes Spiel nur fände ich es gut wenn nach dem Kauf von einem meinem Schiff man das Geld fürs alte zurückbekommen würde

**Developer response:** Danke für die Bewertung! Der Vorschlag, alte Schiffe beim Kauf eines neuen in Zahlung geben zu können, ist gut nachvollziehbar. Wir haben ihn ans Entwicklerteam weitergegeben. Viel Spaß weiterhin über den Wolken! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Finished it, loved it

*2026-07-08*

Loved minmaxing my pathing early game and my company’s trades routes in the late game

**Developer response:** Thank you! A player who minmaxes their routes from the first island to the final trade empire is exactly who we made this for. Congrats on seeing it through to the end, and happy skies! - AstralRide

### 2/5 — 답답한 인터페이스, 청각장애 플레이금지

*2026-07-07*

쥐똥만한 바 움직여서 수량조절(거래소에 돈이 없어서 매번 필수임) 하며 플레이했는데 소리를 듣고 따라해야하는거같은 부분이 나옵니다. 근데 전 청각장애가 있거든요? 무역겜에 청각이 필요할줄이야 ㅅㅂ 스킵도 안되고 나가지도 못해서 문어에게 처맞다가 매우화나서 씁니다. 문어하나에 내 돈 날렸네

**Developer response:** We sincerely apologize. A sound-dependent minigame with no skip option is a clear accessibility problem, and we failed to properly consider hearing-impaired players. We've filed the skip function, visual cues, and quantity control improvements with the development team. If you contact us at contact@astralride.com, we'll help with your situation. - AstralRide"

## Frequently asked questions about Merchant of the Skies

### What is the gameplay like in Merchant of the Skies?

Merchant of the Skies focuses on charting trade routes, exploiting dynamic markets, and building a trading empire at your own pace. It offers exploration of a procedural world, automation of production chains, and a customizable sky mansion.

### Can I play Merchant of the Skies offline?

Yes, Merchant of the Skies is designed for fully offline play. No internet connection is required, and there are no session limits, allowing you to play anywhere at any time.

### Does Merchant of the Skies have ads or in-app purchases?

No, Merchant of the Skies is a one-time purchase with no ads and no in-app purchases. It is yours forever with no pay-to-win mechanics.

### What platforms is Merchant of the Skies available on?

Merchant of the Skies is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is designed for mobile devices.

### How often is Merchant of the Skies updated?

The latest version is 1.6.06, and the game was last updated on June 19, 2026. While specific update frequency isn't detailed, this indicates ongoing development.

### What is the age rating for Merchant of the Skies?

Merchant of the Skies has an age rating of 4+. This suggests it is suitable for a wide audience.

### Does Merchant of the Skies have a story mode?

Yes, Merchant of the Skies includes a complete story campaign designed to restore the world. Following the campaign, players can enjoy unlimited sandbox mode with no endpoint.

### How does Merchant of the Skies compare to other trading games?

Merchant of the Skies emphasizes a cozy, player-driven experience with no missions or timers. It offers deep trading mechanics, exploration of a procedural world, and extensive building options, appealing to those who prefer a relaxed sandbox approach.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.1 — 2026-09-02

• Reworked map controls: drag to pan, hold to steer with the virtual stick, tap an island to preview it
• Bigger, more responsive virtual stick — with an option to turn it off
• Deleting save data now requires holding to confirm
• Quest text fixes and interface polish

### 1.6.23 — 2026-08-25

• Connect a controller and play — full support with button hints on screen
• Buy and sell at a glance on the new trading screen with its price list
• Get around the map your way: pinch to zoom, steer with the virtual joystick, drag to look around
• Sail smoother with faster graphics and better performance
• Plus bug fixes and better translations

### 1.6.06 — 2026-06-19

• Fixed a delivery quest loop at the shipwright

### 1.6.03 — 2026-06-17

• Korean language fixes
• New app icon

### 1.6.02 — 2026-05-20

- Fixed the Botanical Garden musical sheet display
- Increased text size for Korean island names
- Added an iCloud safety guard to prevent crashes on certain iPhones

## Related topics

[merchant of the skies](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/merchant-of-the-skies) · [infiltrating the airship](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/infiltrating-the-airship) · [smuggler of sol](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/smuggler-of-sol) · [airships conquer the skies](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/airships-conquer-the-skies)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*