# Merchant RPG vs Goblin's Workshop

The clearest difference is rating: Merchant RPG at 4.6 against Goblin's Workshop's 3.7. Merchant RPG also leads on ratings volume (265 vs 9) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). Goblin's Workshop's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merchant RPG sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Goblin's Workshop sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Merchant RPG holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merchant RPG has 265 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Merchant RPG's written reviews are positive against 71% of Goblin's Workshop's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Merchant RPG ships an update every 4 months, Goblin's Workshop every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merchant RPG | Goblin's Workshop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (265 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-rpg/id1035170074/reviews)** | [3.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goblins-workshop/id1610243320/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **265** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 423 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Retora Game Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/484290233) | [JUNG CHUN HUNG](https://appshunter.io/developer/379851840) |

## What reviewers say

### Merchant RPG

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-rpg/id1035170074)

Manage a fantasy shopkeeping empire by sending heroes on quests for materials and using crafters to create gear. Balance crafting, selling, and hero upgrades to build your trade empire and conquer foes. This offline idle RPG blends tycoon mechanics with traditional RPG elements.

**Highlights:** Send heroes on quests, Craft weapons and armor, Manage shop economy, Upgrade heroes and crafters, Raid bosses, Customize characters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 16 Inventory Slots | $0.99 | one-time |
| 16 Additional Inventory Slots II | $0.99 | one-time |
| 16 Additional Inventory Slots III | $0.99 | one-time |
| 16 Additional Inventory Slots | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock the Jeweler | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hero Slot I | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hero Slot II | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enchanter Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all Shop Themes | $2.99 | one-time |
| Frozen Tome Expansion | $2.99 | one-time |
| Scribe Expansion | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unlocks Everything | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Simple yet deep mechanics
- 🎨 Lovely pixel art style
- 💰 Fair monetization model
- ⏱️ Quick progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 Cuts off background audio
- 🤔 Confusing for new players
- 🤖 Lack of combat animations
- 🧠 Repetitive gameplay loop

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not working properly
- Inventory management issues
- Progression-blocking bugs

**Requested features**

- Add save slots or cloud sync
- Improve equipment visuals
- Implement auto-repeat quests
- Provide more guidance for new players


### Goblin's Workshop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goblins-workshop/id1610243320)

A simulation RPG where you craft weapons, recruit monsters, and explore to gather materials. Sell items to monsters, upgrade your transport, and equip your monsters to battle humans and reclaim territories.

**Highlights:** Item crafting and selling, Monster recruitment and exploration, RPG combat mechanics, Idle gameplay, Monster equipment upgrades, Territory battles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Double Bless | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Goblin King's Bless | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Hire Crystal Miner | $14.99 | per month |
| Fistful of crystals | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock a random recipe | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of crystals | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chest of crystals | $9.99 | one-time |
| 3x Battle Speed | $9.99 | one-time |
| Newbie Special Package | $9.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of crystals | $29.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all monsters | $47.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merchant RPG free?

Merchant RPG is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Goblin's Workshop free?

Goblin's Workshop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Merchant RPG or Goblin's Workshop?

Merchant RPG is rated higher. Merchant RPG averages 4.6 out of 5 from 265 ratings, while Goblin's Workshop averages 3.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do Merchant RPG or Goblin's Workshop have ads?

Both Merchant RPG and Goblin's Workshop show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Merchant RPG or Goblin's Workshop?

Merchant RPG ships an update every 4 months, and Goblin's Workshop every 3 weeks. Most recently, Merchant RPG was updated on October 13, 2026 and Goblin's Workshop on September 30, 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.*