# Swarm Simulator vs Star Equestrian

The clearest difference is ads: Star Equestrian at none against Swarm Simulator's shown. Star Equestrian also leads on chart position (#179 vs unranked) and ratings volume (21K vs 2.7K). Swarm Simulator's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 49%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Swarm Simulator sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Star Equestrian sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Swarm Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Star Equestrian has 21K ratings behind it against 2.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Swarm Simulator's written reviews are positive against 49% of Star Equestrian's.

Swarm Simulator ships an update every 9 days, Star Equestrian weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swarm Simulator | Star Equestrian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swarm-simulator-evolution/id1320056680/reviews)** | [4.4 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-equestrian-horse-ranch/id1635888697/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.7K | **21K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.3% of reviews** | 49.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#179** |
| Size | 158 MB | 2.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Iron Horse Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281721366) | [Foxie Ventures LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546790324) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Star Equestrian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-equestrian-horse-ranch/id1635888697)

**Currently charting:** #179 Top Grossing · Adventure (US App Store)

Embark on an open-world equestrian adventure to find a lost horse. Explore vast landscapes, compete in challenging events, build and customize your dream ranch, and solve a captivating mystery with friends.

**Highlights:** Massive open-world exploration, Cross country and showjumping competitions, Solve Snowdrop's disappearance mystery, Build and customize your horse ranch, Host ranch parties with friends, Customize avatar and horses, Multiplayer adventures with friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $5.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bundle of Seasonal Currency | $14.99 | one-time |
| Premium Season Pass | $14.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Gems | $15.99 | one-time |
| Box of Gems | $29.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer Horse 1 | $34.99 | one-time |
| Deluxe Season Pass | $39.99 | one-time |
| VIP Offer | $39.99 | one-time |
| Safe of Gold | $49.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $49.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Gold | $99.99 | one-time |
| Hoard of Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great graphics
- 👍 Engaging storyline
- 🐎 Realistic horse animations
- 💡 Ability to customize character and ranch
- 🤝 Multiplayer and social features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating the map
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Slow resource respawn times
- 🤯 Frustrating racing/jumping mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Horses' stats resetting after logging out
- Inability to complete certain quests due to glitches
- Disappearing or unresponsive UI elements
- Inconsistent performance and lag spikes
- Incorrect or missing quest markers on the map

**Requested features**

- Add more horse breeds and customization options
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Increase rewards and reduce grind for resources
- Introduce more interactive elements (e.g., bathing horses, building fences)
- Allow offline play or better optimize for low-end devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swarm Simulator free?

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

### Is Star Equestrian free?

Star Equestrian is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Swarm Simulator or Star Equestrian?

Swarm Simulator is rated higher. Swarm Simulator averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Star Equestrian averages 4.4 from 21K ratings.

### Do Swarm Simulator or Star Equestrian have ads?

Swarm Simulator shows ads; Star Equestrian does not.

### Which is updated more often, Swarm Simulator or Star Equestrian?

Swarm Simulator ships an update every 9 days, and Star Equestrian weekly. Most recently, Swarm Simulator was updated on September 22, 2026 and Star Equestrian on September 26, 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.*