# Hobo Simulator vs Ethos Idle

The clearest difference is ads: Hobo Simulator at none against Ethos Idle's shown. Hobo Simulator also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 239) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Ethos Idle's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hobo Simulator sells 6 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.

Ethos Idle holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hobo Simulator has 2.7K ratings behind it against 239, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Hobo Simulator's written reviews are positive against 84% of Ethos Idle's.

Hobo Simulator ships an update monthly, Ethos Idle fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hobo Simulator | Ethos Idle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hobo-simulator/id1521920568/reviews) | **[4.8 (239 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ethos-idle/id6737059942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 239 |
| Positive reviews | 82.0% of reviews | **84.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Denis Tokarev](https://appshunter.io/developer/716625840) | [Graham Goldstein](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618966149) |

## What reviewers say

### Hobo Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hobo-simulator/id1521920568)

Embark on a rags-to-riches journey, starting as a homeless individual. Engage in various street activities to earn money, build businesses, and climb the social ladder. Manage your health and happiness to survive and thrive in this random, life-simulation game.

**Highlights:** Earn money through street activities, Start businesses and startups, Manage health, happiness, and satiety, Randomly generated events, Compete with friends, Purchase immortality pill

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Immortality Pill | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pack 4 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Pack 5 | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive game
- 💡 Unique concept
- 🚀 No ads
- 🚀 Low power consumption

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy save system
- 🐛 Unclear mechanics and lack of tutorial
- 🐛 Overly harsh random events
- 🐛 Difficulty progressing early on

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect deduction amounts for bodyguard and lawyer
- Inability to survive on disability for too long

**Requested features**

- Calendar and calendar events
- More variety in jobs and content
- Notification for impending death
- Rebirth/prestige system


### 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 Hobo Simulator free?

Hobo 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, Hobo Simulator or Ethos Idle?

Ethos Idle is rated higher. Hobo Simulator averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Ethos Idle averages 4.8 from 239 ratings.

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

Ethos Idle shows ads; Hobo Simulator does not.

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

Hobo Simulator ships an update monthly, and Ethos Idle fortnightly. Most recently, Hobo Simulator was updated on October 18, 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.*