# Idle Universe vs Idle Painter

The clearest difference is rating: Idle Painter at 4.7 against Idle Universe's 4.3. Idle Painter also leads on ratings volume (32K vs 1.5K). Idle Universe's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Universe sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Idle Painter sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Idle Painter holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Painter has 32K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of Idle Universe's written reviews are positive against 62% of Idle Painter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Idle Universe ships an update every 3 weeks, Idle Painter every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Universe | Idle Painter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-universe/id1195110094/reviews) | **[4.7 (32K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-painter/id1377332371/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **32K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.2% of reviews** | 62.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 299 MB | 283 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dominik Stallmann](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195110093) | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Universe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-universe/id1195110094)

Tap to gather matter and create interstellar objects, from particles to galaxies. Objects automatically generate more matter, allowing for endless universe expansion. Unlock divine powers, upgrade objects, and utilize special abilities to grow your cosmic creation.

**Highlights:** Create 31 interstellar objects, Unlock 24 Divine Powers, Upgrade objects with multiple options, Obtain Dark Matter for special abilities, Gain Antimatter via prestige for permanent upgrades, Compete on leaderboards, Earn daily rewards and achievements

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 250 Dark Matter | $3.99 | one-time |
| Double Antimatter Gains | $4.99 | one-time |
| +100% Transcendence Exp | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove All Ads | $8.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Dark Matter | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Dark Matter | $24.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Dark Matter | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Organized and easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient progression system
- 💡 Unique and engaging concept
- 🎨 Good graphics and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔋 Slow progress without watching ads
- 🤖 Forced Google account login
- 🔍 Unclear game mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Prestige button not working
- Ads not providing expected rewards
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Incorrect offline progress tracking

**Requested features**

- Offline progress tracking
- More prestige layers and upgrades
- Better optimization for larger screens
- Improved tutorial and explanations


### Idle Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-painter/id1377332371)

Create your own art studio, upgrade your tools, and master various art styles. Draw countless pictures to become a renowned artist. Enjoy a relaxing and creative drawing simulation experience.

**Highlights:** Build and upgrade art studio, Learn new art styles, Draw numerous pictures, Master art techniques, Creative and relaxing gameplay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Crystals Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 300 Crystals Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Crystals Mega Pack | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful and creative artwork
- 👍 Relaxing and soothing gameplay
- 🚀 Fast painting process
- 💎 Satisfying to watch pictures come to life

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Limited number of pictures to paint
- 🔍 Repetitive gameplay after completing all pictures
- 🔍 Frequent and unskippable ads
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs causing lost progress

**Reported bugs**

- Paintings not showing up correctly in the top frame
- Inability to watch videos to unlock new paintings
- Game crashing when completing certain quests

**Requested features**

- More pictures and painting options
- Ability to replay favorite paintings
- Option to disable vibration after completing paintings
- Auto-sell feature to continue painting without manual interaction
- Prestige or reset system to provide more long-term progression


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Universe free?

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

### Is Idle Painter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Idle Universe or Idle Painter?

Idle Painter is rated higher. Idle Universe averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Idle Painter averages 4.7 from 32K ratings.

### Do Idle Universe or Idle Painter have ads?

Both Idle Universe and Idle Painter show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Universe or Idle Painter?

Idle Universe ships an update every 3 weeks, and Idle Painter every 3 months. Most recently, Idle Universe was updated on November 2, 2026 and Idle Painter on November 5, 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.*