# Hobo Simulator vs StageStar

The clearest difference is rating: Hobo Simulator at 4.5 against StageStar's 3.9. Hobo Simulator also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (82% vs 59%). StageStar's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly) and chart position (#47 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hobo Simulator sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and StageStar sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hobo Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hobo Simulator has 2.7K ratings behind it against 127, 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 59% of StageStar's.

Hobo Simulator ships an update monthly, StageStar every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hobo Simulator | StageStar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hobo-simulator/id1521920568/reviews)** | [3.9 (127 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagestar/id6745702548/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 127 |
| Positive reviews | **82.0% of reviews** | 58.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#47** |
| Size | 11 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Denis Tokarev](https://appshunter.io/developer/716625840) | [Edmond Szabo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1813399088) |

## 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


### StageStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagestar/id6745702548)

**Currently charting:** #47 Top Grossing · Music, #171 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Become a music superstar in this immersive artist simulator. Create your artist, write hit songs, interact with fans and rivals, and embark on world tours to achieve global fame. Experience the drama and excitement of the music industry.

**Highlights:** Create your dream artist, Automated Albums system, AI-generated social media posts, Interact with other artists, Build and manage fanbase, Compete and collaborate with rivals, Go on world tours

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StageStar+ (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| StageStar+ (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Demo Fund | $0.99 | one-time |
| Studio Fund | $2.49 | one-time |
| Campaign Fund | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gift StageStar+ (Annual) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Tour Fund | $9.99 | one-time |
| Era Fund | $19.99 | one-time |
| Gift StageStar+ (Monthly) | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Beautiful UI
- 🚀 Smooth animations
- 🚀 Fast loading times
- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 👍 Love StarTok

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 It takes forever to load
- 🐛 StarTok has too much influence on song performance

**Reported bugs**

- StarTube doesn't seem to be working
- Buggy

**Requested features**

- Add more genres like folk, punk, metal
- Make it harder to gain traction and get big success quickly
- Add flop eras
- Add more streaming platforms
- Improve tour options and make them last more than 1 year


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hobo Simulator free?

Hobo Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is StageStar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hobo Simulator or StageStar?

Hobo Simulator is rated higher. Hobo Simulator averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while StageStar averages 3.9 from 127 ratings.

### Do Hobo Simulator or StageStar have ads?

StageStar shows ads; Hobo Simulator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hobo Simulator or StageStar?

Hobo Simulator ships an update monthly, and StageStar every 9 days. Most recently, Hobo Simulator was updated on October 19, 2026 and StageStar on October 19, 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.*