# Idle evolution vs Useless box simulator

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Idle evolution at 5.8K against Useless box simulator's 4. Idle evolution also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 50%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle evolution sells 22 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Useless box simulator 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 — 4.6 for Idle evolution against 4.5 for Useless box simulator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle evolution has 5.8K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Idle evolution's written reviews are positive against 50% of Useless box simulator's.

Idle evolution ships an update every 2 months, Useless box simulator every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle evolution | Useless box simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-evolution-life-on-earth/id1484295610/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-box-simulator/id6464521016/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **74.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 330 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [DoMobile Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/523576985) | [Dzmitry Smirnou](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706114054) |

## 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 (22)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Diamond X100 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Limit Gift 01 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sea.sale1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Energy output Permanent x2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Silver Passport | $3.99 | one-time |
| Speed Gift 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limit Gift 6 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limit Gift 04 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sealimit.gift1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Humanlimit.gift1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Diamond X300 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Valued package | $5.99 | one-time |
| DNA output Permanent x2 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Sea.sale2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Human.sale2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond X675 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Life Tree Gift 2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special golden passport | $11.99 | one-time |
| Golden Passport | $19.99 | one-time |
| Diamond X1500 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Sea.sale3 | $19.99 | 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


### Useless box simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/useless-box-simulator/id6464521016)

Engage in a unique anti-stress simulation where you flip switches, only for the intelligent box to flip them back. Earn fame points as the box playfully mocks you with its own language.

**Highlights:** Anti-stress simulation, Interactive switch gameplay, Intelligent AI box, Fame point system, Box can talk and swear, Unique gameplay mechanics

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Permanently VIP status | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle evolution free?

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

### Is Useless box simulator free?

Useless box simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Idle evolution or Useless box simulator?

Idle evolution is rated higher. Idle evolution averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while Useless box simulator averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Idle evolution or Useless box simulator have ads?

Both Idle evolution and Useless box simulator show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle evolution or Useless box simulator?

Idle evolution ships an update every 2 months, and Useless box simulator every 3 months. Most recently, Idle evolution was updated on October 19, 2026 and Useless box simulator on October 6, 2026.

---

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