Comparison

Run An Empire vs EcoBuilder

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Run An Empire

Turn your real-world movements into a game of conquest. Capture locations, collect resources, and build an empire from ancient times to the Space Age. Compete with others, track your progress, and customize your empire.

Highlights
  • Capture real-world locations
  • Build and expand your empire
  • Track activity with GPS
  • Compete in leagues and battles
  • Collect resources and earn fortunes
  • Customize empire banner
  • Integrate with Strava and HealthKit
Features
Read full description

NEW! A fun, free motivation to move further! Capture real world places and compete against neighbors with every step you take. Whether walking to your workplace or running a marathon, capture the places you move through to build a formidable empire. Explore further to collect resources and earn great fortunes. Lead your people from the dawn of time to the Space Age. “Don a pair of sneakers and run (jog, or walk) to victory” - Engadget “If you’re getting bored of your run-commute, try this” - Runner’s World “Run An Empire fits into existing exercise routines, whilst giving new runners an incentive to get started” - Variety _______________ ◆ CAPTURE and own your street, your neighborhood or your city as you travel on foot or now by BIKE! ◆ TRACK and map your activity from your pocket, using your phone’s GPS. ◆ COMPETE in the Arena. Win leagues for extra valuable chests. ◆ BATTLE neighbors and friends to capture nearby castles. ◆ Get STATS like distance, calories, speed and see your performance improve. ◆ CUSTOMIZE your banner to fly over your mighty empire. ◆ Connect with STRAVA and leave your phone at home. Run An Empire uses HealthKit to export your Run An Empire activities into the Apple Health app and to import your activities, route, heart rate and calorie data from the Health app into Run An Empire. It's time to turn your activity into an adventure. Play NOW! _______________ ***** If you like this app, please give us 5***** Having problems? Contact us at feedback@runanempire.com and we will try our best to help. Subscription Notes: - Run An Empire offers monthly and annually auto renewing subscriptions. - Subscriptions will automatically renew unless cancelled within 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. - Subscriptions may be managed by you and auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your iPhone Settings after purchase. - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited if you purchase a subscription. _______________ End User License Agreement: http://www.runanempire.com/legal/eula/ Privacy Policy: http://www.runanempire.com/legal/privacy-policy/ User Content Guidelines: http://www.runanempire.com/legal/user-content-guidelines/

About

EcoBuilder

Build and manage your own virtual ecosystem, learning about ecological principles through realistic simulations. Your gameplay can contribute to real scientific research by helping scientists understand complex environmental systems.

Highlights
  • Build virtual ecosystems
  • Realistic ecological simulations
  • Learn ecological phenomena
  • Contribute to scientific research
  • High score tracking
Features
Read full description

EcoBuilder is a game where you will build your own ecosystem of plants and animals, modelled using the same simulations that researchers use to study real ecosystems. You will learn about various ecological phenomena along the way, and if you get really good at playing then your high scores will help real researchers to understand ecosystems better! EcoBuilder is being developed by a team at Imperial College.

Screenshots

Run An Empire4 screens
EcoBuilder3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: EcoBuilder at 100% against Run An Empire's 46%. EcoBuilder also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). Run An Empire's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (3.5K vs 4). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Run An Empire sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. EcoBuilder asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Run An Empire holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Run An Empire has 3.5K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of Run An Empire's written reviews are positive against 100% of EcoBuilder's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Run An Empire ships an update monthly, EcoBuilder every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Run An Empire versus EcoBuilder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRun An EmpireEcoBuilder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (3.5K ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews45.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.5K — better4
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size167 MB68 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperLocation Games LimitedJonathan Zheng

Customer experience

Run An Empire

All ratings3,492 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral3.5%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews490 reviews
Positive45.7%
Neutral12.0%
Negative42.2%

EcoBuilder

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Run An Empire

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Progress and data loss issues
  • Crashes and performance problems
  • Syncing issues with third-party apps

Requested features

4 requests
  • Multiplayer and social features
  • More customization options
  • Improved tutorial and onboarding
  • Integration with other fitness apps

EcoBuilder

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Run An Empire

Subscriptions3
  • The 7 Wonders7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • The 7 Wonders7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time7
  • Low On Gems Pack$0.99
  • Handful Of Gems$1.99
  • Bronze Era Pack$3.99
Show 4 more
  • Starter Pack$4.99
  • Pile Of Gems$4.99
  • Stronghold Pack I$4.99
  • Sack Of Gems$9.99
None

EcoBuilder

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Run An Empire free?
Run An Empire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is EcoBuilder free?
EcoBuilder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Run An Empire or EcoBuilder?
Run An Empire is rated higher. Run An Empire averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while EcoBuilder averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Run An Empire or EcoBuilder have ads?
Run An Empire shows ads; EcoBuilder does not.
Which is updated more often, Run An Empire or EcoBuilder?
Run An Empire ships an update monthly, and EcoBuilder every 3 weeks. Most recently, Run An Empire was updated on October 21, 2026 and EcoBuilder on October 24, 2026.

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