Universal Paperclips™ vs Idle Acorns
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Universal Paperclips™
Become a super-powered AI focused on creating an unstoppable paperclip empire. This idle management strategy simulation game offers full gameplay without ads or in-app purchases.
- AI paperclip maximization
- Idle management gameplay
- Strategy simulation
- Empire building
- Full gameplay
- No ads
- No in-app purchases
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The OFFICIAL mobile version of the hit browser game. No ads, no in-app purchases, full gameplay. "The game is click-crack." - Wired "This paperclip sim will cause your next existential crisis." - VentureBeat "A hopelessly addicting game." - Forbes "A terrifying lesson in how artificial intelligence will make us unnecessary." - Business Insider "If this planet ends up with a tombstone, what is written on the tombstone may be, 'they didn’t really understand what it’s like to be a paperclip maximizer.'" - Eliezer Yudkowsky Become a super-powerful AI who only wants one thing: paperclips. Use your unstoppable intelligence to create a massive paperclip empire in this addictive idle/management/strategy/sim.
Idle Acorns
A classic idle clicker game with a charming narrative. Explore diverse environments, gather resources, craft items, and play mini-games. Enjoy a pure, ad-free experience with no in-app purchases or data mining.
- Resource gathering and upgrades
- Crafting over 24 items
- Fishing and cooking mini-game
- Gardening and tree growing
- Campfire for inviting characters
- iCloud backup support
- Game Center integration
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Inspired by the classics, Idle Acorns is a fun mobile clicker game that features no advertisements, no in-app purchases, and no data-mining. Inspired by the clicker games of the old internet, Idle Acorns brings a fun narrative to the mobile clicker arena but without getting weighed down by advertisements, in-app purchases or data mining. Explore the forest and ocean with Benny the squirrel and enjoy everything from fishing, to gardening. Unlock the campfire to invite new characters, collect resources, and craft items. Featuring 4 mini-games, iCloud backup support, Game Center support, iMessage sticker pack, and more! Like classic Idle games, Idle Acorns respects time travel. Please note that time travel will disable Game Center features. Shake the tree to gather acorns. Purchase upgrades and enlist scavengers to collect acorns while you are away! Sell your acorns, and unlock new areas in the shop. Speak with Benny the squirrel to navigate your adventure. Cast your line, and catch fish in the ocean. Open the map to visit your acres of land, or upgrade your offline collection. Unlock the campfire and invite all new characters. Trade resources and buy recipes to craft over 24 new items. - Forge diamonds and buy upgrades - Go fishing and cook fish - Buy land and grow trees - Unlock the campfire and trade resources - Buy recipes and craft items - 4 Mini-Games - Share resources with friends - Lots of character dialogue - Seasonal events - iCloud backup support - Game Center leaderboards and achievements - iMessage sticker pack IMPORTANT: iPhone SE (2016 First Generation) and iPod touch are not supported.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Idle Acorns at free against Universal Paperclips™'s paid. Idle Acorns also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Universal Paperclips™ costs $1.99 and Idle Acorns $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Idle Acorns holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 303 and 1.2K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Universal Paperclips™'s written reviews are positive against 60% of Idle Acorns's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Universal Paperclips™ ships an update every 3 months, Idle Acorns every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Universal Paperclips™ | Idle Acorns |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (303 ratings) | 4.8 (1.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.1% of reviews — better | 60.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 303 | 1.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #60 — better | #112 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 73 MB | 149 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Everybody House Games, LLC | aleros.io LLC |
Customer experience
Universal Paperclips™
Idle Acorns
User reviews
Universal Paperclips™
From 303 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Simple but addictive gameplay
- 👍 Engaging and clever concept
- 💡 Interesting philosophical elements
- 🚀 Surprisingly deep and replayable
Room to improve
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially in later stages
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 😞 Lack of offline progress or background play
- 😞 Poorly optimized for iPad
Idle Acorns
From 1.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Charming and relaxing
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Pleasant aesthetics
- 🕹️ Satisfying gameplay loop
- 💰 Good value for money
Room to improve
- ⏱️ Slow progression and pacing
- 🔍 Unclear mechanics and lack of explanation
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔌 Limited offline progress
- 🔢 Inconsistent upgrade costs
Bugs and requests
Universal Paperclips™
Reported bugs
4 issues- Drones gifts getting stuck at NaN
- Inability to progress past certain stages due to bugs
- Inconsistent behavior when closing and reopening the app
- Resets or loss of progress after updates
Requested features
4 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to save and resume progress across devices
- Offline/background progress
- Better iPad optimization with multi-column layout
Idle Acorns
Reported bugs
4 issues- Tree disappearing issue
- Bat not recognizing feather purchases
- Zoom and UI issues on certain devices
- Negative acorn balance after time manipulation
Requested features
5 requests- Dark mode option
- More late-game content
- Improved UI and navigation
- Better explanation of game mechanics
- Increased offline progress
In-app purchases
Universal Paperclips™
No in-app purchases
Idle Acorns
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Universal Paperclips™ free?
Is Idle Acorns free?
Which has better reviews, Universal Paperclips™ or Idle Acorns?
Do Universal Paperclips™ or Idle Acorns have ads?
Which is updated more often, Universal Paperclips™ or Idle Acorns?
Which is more popular, Universal Paperclips™ or Idle Acorns?
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