# Bacterial Takeover vs Swarm Simulator

The clearest difference is update cadence: Swarm Simulator at every 9 days against Bacterial Takeover's every 5 weeks. Swarm Simulator also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 884). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bacterial Takeover sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Swarm Simulator sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bacterial Takeover against 4.7 for Swarm Simulator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 884 and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Bacterial Takeover's written reviews are positive against 78% of Swarm Simulator's.

Bacterial Takeover ships an update every 5 weeks, Swarm Simulator every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bacterial Takeover | Swarm Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (884 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bacterial-takeover-idle-game/id1217470965/reviews) | [4.7 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swarm-simulator-evolution/id1320056680/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 884 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **78.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 366 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fufla SIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/578731055) | [Iron Horse Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281721366) |

## What reviewers say

### Bacterial Takeover

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bacterial-takeover-idle-game/id1217470965)

Become a tycoon of deadly bacteria and conquer the universe in this addictive idle clicker game. Grow your army, discover rare minerals, and use nano-tech to destroy planets. Perfect for quick play sessions or long journeys.

**Highlights:** Idle bacteria production, Offline play, Planet destruction, Bacteria boosting minerals, Nano tech upgrades, Achievements

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advertising free gaming | $2.99 | per month |
| A tiny pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| A tiny pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| A small gem pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| A small pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Friday Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bacteria Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| A medium pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Mega Boost Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| A large pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Optional ads
- 👍 No forced ads
- 👍 Customizable bacteria

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 In-app purchases don't work
- 🐛 Ads still shown after purchase
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Bugs with planetary attacks
- 🐛 Glitches with mutations and upgrades

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not loading properly
- Game resets progress after updates
- Planetary attack button not working
- Mutations and upgrades not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- More content updates
- Improved gene strand upgrades
- Additional colony types
- Better progression after black hole
- Ability to buy more bacteria at once


### Swarm Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swarm-simulator-evolution/id1320056680)

Evolve your insect colony from simple larvae to powerful hive minds in this 3D incremental idle clicker game. Conquer territory, sacrifice units for growth, and ascend to unlock new mutations and expand your swarm across the universe.

**Highlights:** Incremental idle clicker gameplay, Endless progression and unit evolution, Idle mode for offline growth, Ascend system with new mutations, All-new 3D graphics and units, Elixir buffs and Golden Bug bonuses

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pouch of Crystals | $4.99 | one-time |
| Elixir Mega Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Swarm Supporter Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Crystals | $9.99 | one-time |
| Crystalline King Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Arcane Amplifier Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Super Shards Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Challenge Crusher Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Crystals | $19.99 | one-time |
| Elixir Ultra Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Storehouse of Crystals | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 💡 Unique incremental mechanics
- 🔒 Minimal ads, not intrusive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in recent updates
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch
- Stuck on loading screen
- Incorrect display of resources and upgrades
- Issues with cloud save functionality

**Requested features**

- More content and updates
- Offline mode
- Customization options
- Improved progression and endgame


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bacterial Takeover free?

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

### Is Swarm Simulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bacterial Takeover or Swarm Simulator?

Bacterial Takeover and Swarm Simulator are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 884 and 2.7K ratings respectively.

### Do Bacterial Takeover or Swarm Simulator have ads?

Both Bacterial Takeover and Swarm Simulator show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bacterial Takeover or Swarm Simulator?

Bacterial Takeover ships an update every 5 weeks, and Swarm Simulator every 9 days. Most recently, Bacterial Takeover was updated on October 15, 2026 and Swarm Simulator on October 20, 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.*