# Human Resource Machine vs Recursive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Human Resource Machine at none against Recursive's 3. Human Resource Machine also leads on ratings volume (416 vs 28) and chart position (#74 vs unranked). Recursive's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Human Resource Machine costs $4.99 and Recursive $2.99 up front. Recursive sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Human Resource Machine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Recursive holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Human Resource Machine has 416 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Human Resource Machine's written reviews are positive against 71% of Recursive's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Human Resource Machine ships an update every 5 weeks, Recursive every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Human Resource Machine | Recursive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [4.5 (416 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/human-resource-machine/id1005098334/reviews) | **[4.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recursive-programming-puzzles/id1550504475/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **416** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | **80.1% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#74** | — |
| Size | 133 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Experimental Gameplay Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/423269933) | [Kidori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550451304) |

## What reviewers say

### Human Resource Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/human-resource-machine/id1005098334)

**Currently charting:** #74 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Solve puzzles by programming office workers to automate tasks. Progress through levels by successfully completing jobs and getting promoted. This game makes programming accessible and fun for everyone, even those new to coding.

**Highlights:** Program office workers, Solve logic puzzles, Automate tasks, Progress through levels, Learn programming concepts, Extra challenges for experts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Challenging puzzles
- 👍 Engaging gameplay
- 💡 Teaches programming concepts
- 🎨 Quirky visuals and humor

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs in certain levels
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
- 🔇 No option to play own music
- 🔀 Issues with screen rotation

**Reported bugs**

- Level 20 expecting incorrect output
- Scrolling issues causing commands to move
- Crashing on iOS 14 update

**Requested features**

- More levels and challenges
- Ability to save progress across devices
- Hints or solution guides for stuck players


### Recursive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recursive-programming-puzzles/id1550504475)

A challenging puzzle game where you guide robots to collect gems by creating simple programs. Master recursion and logic with a minimalistic, easy-to-learn language and diverse level elements.

**Highlights:** Learn a simple programming language, Solve puzzles with robots and gems, Master recursion concepts, Explore diverse level elements, Challenging, hard puzzles

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 hint credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20 hint credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 40 hint credits | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Human Resource Machine free?

Human Resource Machine costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Recursive free?

Recursive costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Human Resource Machine or Recursive?

Recursive is rated higher. Human Resource Machine averages 4.5 out of 5 from 416 ratings, while Recursive averages 4.9 from 28 ratings.

### Do Human Resource Machine or Recursive have ads?

Neither Human Resource Machine nor Recursive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Human Resource Machine or Recursive?

Human Resource Machine ships an update every 5 weeks, and Recursive every 4 days. Most recently, Human Resource Machine was updated on November 6, 2026 and Recursive on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*