# Swarm Simulator vs Ethos Idle

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Swarm Simulator at 2.7K against Ethos Idle's 239. Swarm Simulator also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Swarm Simulator sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Ethos Idle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 Swarm Simulator against 4.8 for Ethos Idle. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swarm Simulator has 2.7K ratings behind it against 239, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Swarm Simulator's written reviews are positive against 84% of Ethos Idle's.

Swarm Simulator ships an update every 9 days, Ethos Idle fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swarm Simulator | Ethos Idle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swarm-simulator-evolution/id1320056680/reviews) | **[4.8 (239 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ethos-idle/id6737059942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 239 |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **84.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 158 MB | 101 MB |
| 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) | [Graham Goldstein](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618966149) |

## 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


### Ethos Idle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ethos-idle/id6737059942)

Guide humanity's progress from its earliest discoveries to the distant future. Manage your tribe's choices, develop over 200 unique ideas, and explore the world. Advance your civilization, unlock bonuses, and enjoy a single-player, offline experience with optional ads.

**Highlights:** Develop over 200 historic ideas, Explore and exploit the world, Manage tribe choices, Unlock exploration bonuses and synergies, Prestige mechanic upgrades, Customizable challenge scenarios, Offline single-player experience

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| x2 Speed | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast progression
- 👍 Minimal ad interruption
- 👍 Simple and enjoyable design
- 👍 Great for relaxing and watching numbers go up
- 👍 Excellent incremental game design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐢 Slower progression speed desired
- 🛒 IAP for 2x production doesn't eliminate video ads

**Reported bugs**

- RNG for challenges is unfair and unfun
- Unlocking buffs for inaccessible technologies

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads entirely
- Clarification on prestige warp gain multipliers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swarm Simulator free?

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

### Is Ethos Idle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Swarm Simulator or Ethos Idle?

Ethos Idle is rated higher. Swarm Simulator averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Ethos Idle averages 4.8 from 239 ratings.

### Do Swarm Simulator or Ethos Idle have ads?

Both Swarm Simulator and Ethos Idle show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swarm Simulator or Ethos Idle?

Swarm Simulator ships an update every 9 days, and Ethos Idle fortnightly. Most recently, Swarm Simulator was updated on October 12, 2026 and Ethos Idle on September 29, 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.*