# Pokémon GO vs TCGSim

The clearest difference is rating: Pokémon GO at 4.0 against TCGSim's 3.0. Pokémon GO also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (656K vs 2). TCGSim's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pokémon GO sells 21 one-off in-app purchases and TCGSim sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pokémon GO holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pokémon GO has 656K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Pokémon GO's written reviews are positive against 78% of TCGSim's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pokémon GO ships an update weekly, TCGSim every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pokémon GO | TCGSim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (656K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pokemon-go/id1094591345/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **656K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 43.6% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 390 MB | 167 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scopely Explore, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1037205060) | [Kenta Hayakawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681275019) |

## What reviewers say

### Pokémon GO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pokemon-go/id1094591345)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Role Playing, #3 Top Free · Role Playing, #3 Top Grossing · Strategy, #10 Top Grossing · Games, #13 Top Free · Strategy, #38 Top Grossing, #93 Top Free · Games (US App Store)

Explore your real world to discover and catch creatures. Train your companions, battle in gyms, and team up with others for epic raids. Your adventure begins as you move through your environment.

**Highlights:** Explore and discover creatures, Catch creatures to complete Pokédex, Journey with Buddy Pokémon, Compete in Gym battles, Team up for Raid Battles, Augmented reality gameplay

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 PokéCoins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Event Bonus | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Box | $1.99 | one-time |
| Evergreen Ticket 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Event Ticket | $1.99 | one-time |
| Event Ticket | $4.99 | one-time |
| 550 PokéCoins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ticket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Event Ticket | $7.99 | one-time |
| 1,200 PokéCoins | $9.99 | one-time |
| Event Pass Deluxe Plus Points | $9.99 | one-time |
| Finale Pass | $14.99 | one-time |
| Event Pass Deluxe | $14.99 | one-time |
| GO Fest Ticket | $14.99 | one-time |
| Finale Pass Plus Points | $19.99 | one-time |
| GO Pass Deluxe | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2,500 PokéCoins | $19.99 | one-time |
| Event Pass Deluxe Plus Points | $19.99 | one-time |
| GO Pass Deluxe Plus Points | $24.99 | one-time |
| 5,200 PokéCoins | $39.99 | one-time |
| 14,500 PokéCoins | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 👍 Encourages outdoor activity
- 🚀 Frequent updates and new content
- 👍 Brings people together
- 🚀 Innovative AR features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🚫 Inaccessible for rural/disabled players

**Reported bugs**

- GPS/location issues causing gameplay problems
- Bugs with egg hatching and buddy Pokémon
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Glitches with raid battles and rewards

**Requested features**

- In-game chat/communication system
- Ability to trade items between players
- More customization options for avatars
- Improved tracking and spawn system
- Easier access to rare/legendary Pokémon


### TCGSim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcgsim/id6474193450)

Practice popular trading card games solo with this easy-to-use app. It supports deck tuning, strategy research, and includes features like free card manipulation and dice rolls. Customize your experience with optional in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Solo play for 1-2 player fields, Free card manipulation, Deck and card management, Import decks via codes/CSV, Dice roll and coin toss, Customizable backgrounds

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Custom Field Image | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Custom Card Back | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Deck Slots | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pokémon GO free?

Pokémon GO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TCGSim free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pokémon GO or TCGSim?

Pokémon GO is rated higher. Pokémon GO averages 4.0 out of 5 from 656K ratings, while TCGSim averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Pokémon GO or TCGSim have ads?

Both Pokémon GO and TCGSim show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pokémon GO or TCGSim?

Pokémon GO ships an update weekly, and TCGSim every 3 months. Most recently, Pokémon GO was updated on October 29, 2026 and TCGSim 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.*