# LONER vs The Elder Scrolls

The clearest difference is price: The Elder Scrolls at Free against LONER's $1.99. The Elder Scrolls also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (13K vs 86). LONER's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 39) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

The Elder Scrolls is free to download; LONER costs $1.99 up front. The Elder Scrolls sells 39 one-off in-app purchases. LONER asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Elder Scrolls holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Elder Scrolls has 13K ratings behind it against 86, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of LONER's written reviews are positive against 49% of The Elder Scrolls's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

LONER ships an update every 5 weeks, The Elder Scrolls every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LONER | The Elder Scrolls |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loner/id1180916723/reviews) | **[4.6 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elder-scrolls-castles/id1594657136/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 86 | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **77.3% of reviews** | 49.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#50** | — |
| Size | 279 MB | 686 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kunpo](https://appshunter.io/developer/767379940) | [Bethesda](https://appshunter.io/developer/547109759) |

## What reviewers say

### LONER

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loner/id1180916723)

**Currently charting:** #50 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Experience a tranquil and solitary journey as a pilot navigating through a visually minimalist world. This game offers a unique, immersive experience with its simple mechanics, atmospheric music, and procedurally generated challenges that sync with the soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Unique two-hand sliding and gravity sensing controls, Visually simple yet varied color palettes, Original, atmospheric background music, Randomly generated obstacles synced to music, Story of a pilot's lonely journey

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Beautiful music and soundtrack
- 🧘‍♀️ Relaxing and calming gameplay
- 🎨 Visually appealing and simple graphics
- 📖 Engaging story and narrative
- ✨ Unique and immersive experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📍 Requires location data to play
- 🚫 Game refuses to load without location access
- ❓ Unclear why location data is needed
- 🇨🇳 Settings and menus in Chinese (or other non-English languages)
- 🔊 Music cannot be turned off

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes or freezes
- Game does not load without location access
- Settings/menus in non-English languages
- Incomplete sentences or missing parts in story text
- Grammar issues in story, especially towards the end

**Requested features**

- Add more stories/chapters
- Option to turn off music
- Add more aircraft/landscapes
- Add tactile feedback for obstacles
- Improve English translation of story


### The Elder Scrolls

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elder-scrolls-castles/id1594657136)

Build and manage your own castle and dynasty across generations. Make crucial decisions, customize your stronghold, and send heroes on quests to protect your kingdom. Your choices shape your legacy.

**Highlights:** Build and customize your castle, Manage your dynasty across generations, Make impactful kingdom decisions, Train subjects and assign workstations, Complete epic quests with heroes, Equip heroes with epic gear

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

**In-app purchases (39)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Event Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems - 50% discount | $0.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Decoration: Discount | $1.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Shield Spellbreaker | $1.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Axe: Warlock Butcher | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Event Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Potions and Scrolls | $2.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Decoration | $3.99 | one-time |
| Witch-Hunting Reinforcements | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Starter Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (7 days) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Magical Craftsmen | $5.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Event Subject Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| Redguard Bundle: New Blood | $7.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Feast Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Satchel of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Potions and Scrolls | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dwemer Furnace Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (14 days) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Magical Craftsmen | $9.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: Silversmith | $11.99 | one-time |
| Put Your Dukes Up - Discount | $11.99 | one-time |
| A Bit of Everything | $11.99 | one-time |
| Decoration Pack | $12.99 | one-time |
| But make it fashion - discount | $13.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (30 days) | $13.99 | one-time |
| Large Starter Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: It's Adore-able | $17.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Coffer of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle : A Noble Path | $19.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: A Mage's Touch | $19.99 | one-time |
| Biggest Bundle (Big Discount) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (1 year) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Strongbox of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Put Your Dukes Up | $29.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: Silversmith | $29.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Coffer of Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique Elder Scrolls-themed mechanics
- 💡 Interesting character relationships and decision-making
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with paywall-locked content
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and sync issues
- 🕹️ Clunky controls and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to select rooms without selecting characters
- Accidental character movement due to poor UI
- Inconsistent resource collection when game is closed

**Requested features**

- Multiple save files or restart option
- More customization options for castle and characters
- Improved character management tools
- Deeper integration with Elder Scrolls lore and characters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LONER free?

LONER costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Elder Scrolls free?

The Elder Scrolls is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, LONER or The Elder Scrolls?

The Elder Scrolls is rated higher. LONER averages 4.2 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while The Elder Scrolls averages 4.6 from 13K ratings.

### Do LONER or The Elder Scrolls have ads?

The Elder Scrolls shows ads; LONER does not.

### Which is updated more often, LONER or The Elder Scrolls?

LONER ships an update every 5 weeks, and The Elder Scrolls every 2 weeks. Most recently, LONER was updated on September 29, 2026 and The Elder Scrolls on October 1, 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.*