# Merge Defense! vs Idle Digging

The clearest difference is rating: Idle Digging at 4.6 against Merge Defense!'s 3.4. Idle Digging also leads on ratings volume (38K vs 27) and review sentiment (39% vs 23%). Merge Defense!'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge Defense! sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Idle Digging sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Idle Digging holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Digging has 38K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Merge Defense!'s written reviews are positive against 39% of Idle Digging's.

Merge Defense! ships an update fortnightly, Idle Digging every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merge Defense! | Idle Digging |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-defense/id1473122527/reviews) | **[4.6 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-digging/id1493358837/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **38K** |
| Positive reviews | 23.3% of reviews | **39.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 144 MB | 286 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tatem Games Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667306793) | [Zplay (Beijing) Info. Tech. Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/531022725) |

## What reviewers say

### Merge Defense!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-defense/id1473122527)

Engage in a strategic tower defense experience where you merge units to enhance their power and defend against advancing enemies. Collect resources to unlock upgrades and power-ups in this offline, turn-based challenge.

**Highlights:** Merge defenders to upgrade power, Turn-based gameplay, Place defenders to protect from enemies, Collect keys and gems for power-ups, Offline play

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove All Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Double Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### Idle Digging

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-digging/id1493358837)

Manage workers to dig and build houses, earning gold to upgrade tools for faster digging. Experience an addictive idle game focused on resource management and wealth accumulation.

**Highlights:** Manage workers, Dig and build houses, Earn gold, Upgrade digging tools, Addictive gameplay

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diamond Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Pop-up Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 4 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 5 | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 💡 Interesting concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 💰 Expensive upgrades
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not working as expected
- Progress loss after updates
- Crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Offline earnings
- Customization options
- Improved ad system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merge Defense! free?

Merge Defense! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Idle Digging free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Merge Defense! or Idle Digging?

Idle Digging is rated higher. Merge Defense! averages 3.4 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Idle Digging averages 4.6 from 38K ratings.

### Do Merge Defense! or Idle Digging have ads?

Idle Digging shows ads; Merge Defense! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Merge Defense! or Idle Digging?

Merge Defense! ships an update fortnightly, and Idle Digging every 3 weeks. Most recently, Merge Defense! was updated on October 24, 2026 and Idle Digging on October 30, 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.*