# Idle Explorer vs Frontier Town

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Frontier Town at none against Idle Explorer's 6. Frontier Town also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3). Idle Explorer's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 14.2). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Explorer sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Frontier Town asks for nothing beyond the download.

Frontier Town holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 295 and 153 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 24% and 25% positive.

Idle Explorer ships an update fortnightly, Frontier Town every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Explorer | Frontier Town |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (295 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-explorer/id1491737397/reviews) | **[4.6 (153 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frontier-town-idle-rpg/id6742107690/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **295** | 153 |
| Positive reviews | 24.1% of reviews | **25.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 174 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 14.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MADBOX](https://appshunter.io/developer/981448700) | [YALP GAMES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1734473116) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-explorer/id1491737397)

Become a settler and discover new lands in this idle simulation game. Hire workers, gather resources, and earn money to upgrade your team and skills. Enjoy a super easy-to-play experience focused on exploration and profit.

**Highlights:** Explore new lands, Hire and upgrade workers, Gather resources, Earn in-game currency, Upgrade skills, Become a settler

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small profit boost | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small speed boost | $0.99 | one-time |
| Large speed boost | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large profit boost | $3.99 | one-time |
| Enormous profit boost | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enormous speed boost | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Cute and simple game
- 👍 Decent idle game idea
- 👍 Runs smoothly
- 👍 Cute graphics
- 👍 Good mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios Ads, ads, and more ads
-  anúncios Forced ad viewing
-  anúncios Ads disrupt gameplay
-  anúncios No option to buy ad freedom
-  anúncios Ads every time you level up

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot go to the next world/island
- Stuck on islands/levels
- App doesn't open (gray screen)
- Game crashes, especially with ad boosters
- Progress reset after update

**Requested features**

- Add music and sound effects
- Option to buy ad freedom
- More content/features
- Fix progress reset bug
- Improve map collection rate


### Frontier Town

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frontier-town-idle-rpg/id6742107690)

Transform a barren plot into a thriving Wild West settlement by strategically building and upgrading various establishments. Hire diverse personnel to boost productivity and unlock special bonuses, all while managing income to expand your frontier empire.

**Highlights:** Build key establishments, Generate and collect income, Upgrade buildings, Hire diverse personnel, Expand frontier empire, Wild West aesthetic

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Explorer free?

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

### Is Frontier Town free?

Frontier Town is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Idle Explorer or Frontier Town?

Frontier Town is rated higher. Idle Explorer averages 4.3 out of 5 from 295 ratings, while Frontier Town averages 4.6 from 153 ratings.

### Do Idle Explorer or Frontier Town have ads?

Both Idle Explorer and Frontier Town show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Explorer or Frontier Town?

Idle Explorer ships an update fortnightly, and Frontier Town every 2 weeks. Most recently, Idle Explorer was updated on November 3, 2026 and Frontier Town 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.*