Comparison

Istanbul vs MIND MGMT Assistant

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

Head to head
About

Istanbul

Compete as a merchant to collect rubies by trading goods and managing assistants across a bustling bazaar. Strategically move your merchant and assistants through various locations, each offering unique actions. Plan your moves carefully to outmaneuver opponents and achieve victory in this acclaimed board game adaptation.

Highlights
  • Collect rubies by trading goods
  • Manage merchant and assistants
  • Explore 16 bazaar locations
  • Increase wheelbarrow capacity
  • Acquire special abilities
  • Play against AI or friends
  • Cross-platform online multiplayer
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The official digital adaptation of one of the best board games in history – Istanbul. Istanbul is, without a doubt, one of the best board games to have ever been published. The long list of its awards and honors speaks for itself: 2015 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Best Expert Game Nominee 2014 Swiss Gamers Award Winner 2014 Meeples' Choice Nominee 2014 Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner 2014 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee 2014 Hra roku Nominee 2014 Gouden Ludo Winner 2014 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Nominee 2014 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Nominee 2014 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee In our 2018 digital version we have maintained all of the features that made Istanbul the fan favorite that it is, but also expanded upon it with a number of tools and features only available on the digital platform. We maintained the authentic board game feeling with the convenience you can expect from an electronic device. So what is the game about? Can you be the first merchant to collect a certain number of rubies? • Run, collect and trade goods across the bazaar • Take control over your assistants • Increase your wheelbarrow capacity • Acquire special abilities to increase the advantage over your competitors • Buy rubies or trade goods for them In Istanbul, you lead a group of one merchant and his four assistants through 16 locations in the bazaar. In each such a location, you can carry out a specific action. The challenge, however, is that to take an action, you must move your merchant and an assistant there, then leave the assistant behind to handle all the details while you focus on larger matters. If you want to use that assistant again later, your merchant must return to that location to pick him up. Thus, you must plan ahead carefully to avoid being left with no assistants and thus unable to do anything… What can you expect? • Official Istanbul game - 100% original rules • Adaptation of TOP 100 board game of all time by BGG ranking • Play with AI, with friends or both • Great artwork by Andreas Resch • Languages: English, German, Dutch, Polish, French, Korean, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, Spanish • Pass and play mode • Cross-platform online multiplayer with synchronous and asynchronous modes • Opponents' last moves replay • 3 levels of difficulty AIs with individual strategies • Preset or random generated game boards • Atmospheric music and sounds • Unique, original board game experience • Intuitive gameplay • Colorblind mode • Over 70 achievements • iPhone X support

About

MIND MGMT Assistant

This companion app allows you to play the MIND MGMT board game solo or cooperatively with friends. It acts as the Recruiter, guiding players to find the Recruiter before time runs out. A physical copy of the board game is required to use this application.

Highlights
  • Solo board game play
  • Cooperative multiplayer
  • Acts as the Recruiter
  • Requires physical board game
Features
Read full description

You need the MIND MGMT: The Psychic Espionage "Game" board game to use this app. This assistant app will play as the Recruiter, allowing you to play the MIND MGMT board game solo, or co-operatively with your friends as you try to find the Recruiter before it's too late.

Screenshots

Istanbul4 screens
MIND MGMT Assistant4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MIND MGMT Assistant at Free against Istanbul's $2.79. MIND MGMT Assistant also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Istanbul's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 9 months). On review sentiment, ads, 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

MIND MGMT Assistant is free to download; Istanbul costs $2.79 up front. Istanbul sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MIND MGMT Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Istanbul holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Istanbul has 458 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Istanbul's written reviews are positive against 67% of MIND MGMT Assistant's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, MIND MGMT Assistant every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Istanbul versus MIND MGMT Assistant: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIstanbulMIND MGMT Assistant
Price$2.79Free — better
Rating4.7 (458 ratings) — better4.2 (21 ratings)
Positive reviews72.8% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings458 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#78 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size451 MB221 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperAcram DigitalJason Cormier

Customer experience

Istanbul

All ratings452 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews151 reviews
Positive72.8%
Neutral9.3%
Negative17.9%

MIND MGMT Assistant

All ratings21 ratings
Positive76.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative23.8%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Istanbul

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Certain cards/tiles not working as intended
  • Game crashing or freezing during play
  • Online/multiplayer functionality issues
  • Tutorial getting stuck or not working properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add the Mocha & Baksheesh and Letters & Seals expansions
  • Implement a companion tool to randomize the board setup
  • Add push notifications for online game turns
  • Support for more languages

MIND MGMT Assistant

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Istanbul

One-time1
  • Mocha & Baksheesh$5.99
None

MIND MGMT Assistant

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Istanbul free?
Istanbul costs $2.79, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is MIND MGMT Assistant free?
MIND MGMT Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Istanbul or MIND MGMT Assistant?
Istanbul is rated higher. Istanbul averages 4.7 out of 5 from 458 ratings, while MIND MGMT Assistant averages 4.2 from 21 ratings.
Do Istanbul or MIND MGMT Assistant have ads?
Neither Istanbul nor MIND MGMT Assistant shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Istanbul or MIND MGMT Assistant?
Istanbul ships an update every 6 weeks, and MIND MGMT Assistant every 9 months. Most recently, Istanbul was updated on October 29, 2026 and MIND MGMT Assistant on October 24, 2026.

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