# A.L.I.C.E vs Idle Anomaly

The clearest difference is review sentiment: A.L.I.C.E at 89% against Idle Anomaly's 38%. A.L.I.C.E also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 15) and ads (none vs shown). Idle Anomaly's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (364 vs 14). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Anomaly sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. A.L.I.C.E asks for nothing beyond the download.

Idle Anomaly holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Anomaly has 364 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of A.L.I.C.E's written reviews are positive against 38% of Idle Anomaly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

A.L.I.C.E ships an update every 3 months, Idle Anomaly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A.L.I.C.E | Idle Anomaly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alice/id1308819837/reviews) | **[4.7 (364 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-anomaly-alien-control/id1630927796/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **364** |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 37.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 806 MB | 249 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [The University of New South Wales](https://appshunter.io/developer/475256539) | [Hot Siberians](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582606391) |

## What reviewers say

### A.L.I.C.E

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alice/id1308819837)

This retro-style 2D platformer educates players about common cyber security threats and countermeasures. Navigate through levels, solve puzzles, and use your wits to defeat cyber threats and retrieve your stolen identity.

**Highlights:** Retro 2D platformer gameplay, Cyber security threat education, Puzzle solving, Avatar customization, AI assistant for tips, 5 challenging levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Idle Anomaly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-anomaly-alien-control/id1630927796)

Build a research station to uncover the secrets of a mysterious alien Obelisk. Manage employees, defend your base from alien invaders, and upgrade heroes. Progress continues even when you're offline.

**Highlights:** Build and upgrade research station, Manage employees and monitor health, Defend base from alien attacks, Upgrade space heroes, Study UFOs and collect resources, Offline progress and idle earnings

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 80 Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Helicopter. | $4.99 | one-time |
| 500 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Researcher | $4.99 | one-time |
| Johnny Goldhand | $4.99 | one-time |
| Beginner's Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Starter pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Researcher | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dr. Massachusetts | $10.99 | one-time |
| No ads | $13.99 | one-time |
| Professional's Pack | $13.99 | one-time |
| Neat Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Gems | $24.99 | one-time |
| All Inclusive Pack | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good game overall
- 🎨 Great design scheme
- ✨ Items change looks
- 🧘 Calming gameplay
- 💡 Interesting and fun gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 New update makes it dip
- 💸 Hero upgrades too expensive
- 🐛 Ads still present after purchase
- 💸 In-game purchases not received
- ⏳ Purchases don't take effect

**Reported bugs**

- Reset all data
- No ads upgrade not working
- Beginner pack not received
- In-app purchases not credited
- Game keeps locking up

**Requested features**

- Fix game issues or refund
- Add more content to the game
- Improve developer communication for future plans


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A.L.I.C.E free?

A.L.I.C.E is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Idle Anomaly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, A.L.I.C.E or Idle Anomaly?

Idle Anomaly is rated higher. A.L.I.C.E averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Idle Anomaly averages 4.7 from 364 ratings.

### Do A.L.I.C.E or Idle Anomaly have ads?

Idle Anomaly shows ads; A.L.I.C.E does not.

### Which is updated more often, A.L.I.C.E or Idle Anomaly?

A.L.I.C.E ships an update every 3 months, and Idle Anomaly every 5 weeks. Most recently, A.L.I.C.E was updated on September 15, 2026 and Idle Anomaly on September 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*