# Idle evolution vs Squid Simulator

The clearest difference is rating: Idle evolution at 4.6 against Squid Simulator's 3.7. Idle evolution also leads on ratings volume (5.9K vs 16). Squid Simulator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle evolution sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Squid Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Idle evolution holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle evolution has 5.9K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 75% and 75% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle evolution | Squid Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-evolution-life-on-earth/id1484295610/reviews)** | [3.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squid-simulator/id1577056934/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **75.1% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 330 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [DoMobile Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/523576985) | [Trail Navigator Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1553857640) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle evolution

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-evolution-life-on-earth/id1484295610)

Explore the 4-billion-year history of life on Earth through an engaging idle game. Learn about ancient creatures and human culture while restoring biological forms and unlocking evolutionary mysteries. Experience a blend of casual gameplay and educational content.

**Highlights:** Casual idle gameplay, Popular science education, Biological restoration, Intellectual equipment technology, Unlock mysteries of life, Experience life evolution

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Diamond X100 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Limit Gift 01 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Limit Gift 6 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sealimit.gift1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Humanlimit.gift1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| DNA output Permanent x2 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Sea.sale2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Human.sale2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special golden passport | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and educational game
- 🚀 Engaging gameplay
- 💡 Interesting prehistoric creatures
- 👍 Informative and accurate content
- 💡 Rewards for answering questions instead of ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Unclear instructions
- 🔍 Confusing UI
- 🔍 Inaccurate creature descriptions
- 🔍 Slow progress after a certain point

**Reported bugs**

- Game not loading or crashing
- Incorrect resource deduction when purchasing items
- Ads not closing properly
- Saved progress not syncing across devices

**Requested features**

- More dinosaur and prehistoric creature models
- Improved tutorial and onboarding
- Ability to reset progress and start over
- More advanced gameplay modes
- Optimization for larger screens


### Squid Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squid-simulator/id1577056934)

Explore a vast underwater world, consuming smaller fish while evading larger predators and humans. Survive in a dynamic aquatic environment.

**Highlights:** Vast underwater world exploration, Consume smaller fish, Evade larger predators, Beware of humans, Dynamic aquatic environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle evolution free?

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

### Is Squid Simulator free?

Squid Simulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Idle evolution or Squid Simulator?

Idle evolution is rated higher. Idle evolution averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while Squid Simulator averages 3.7 from 16 ratings.

### Do Idle evolution or Squid Simulator have ads?

Idle evolution shows ads; Squid Simulator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Idle evolution or Squid Simulator?

Idle evolution ships an update every 2 months, and Squid Simulator every 2 months. Most recently, Idle evolution was updated on November 7, 2026 and Squid Simulator on November 3, 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.*