# Exponential Idle vs Scratch Inc.

The clearest difference is ads: Scratch Inc. at none against Exponential Idle's shown. Scratch Inc. also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Exponential Idle's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Exponential Idle sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Scratch Inc. sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Exponential Idle holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.1K and 1.9K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Exponential Idle's written reviews are positive against 93% of Scratch Inc.'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Exponential Idle ships an update every 3 weeks, Scratch Inc. every 3 days. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exponential Idle | Scratch Inc. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exponential-idle/id1538487382/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch-inc/id6745529538/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | 1.9K |
| Positive reviews | 91.8% of reviews | **93.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 95 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Gilles-Philippe Paille](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538487384) | [Makopaz LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479952757) |

## What reviewers say

### Exponential Idle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exponential-idle/id1538487382)

Engage in a math-inspired incremental game where you strategically stack virtual money through exponential growth. Advance through time, make variable changes, and purchase upgrades to accelerate your earnings and unlock achievements.

**Highlights:** Exponential growth mechanics, Time progression, Change of variables, Buy upgrades, Earn virtual money, Unlock achievements

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donate | $0.99 | one-time |
| Permanent Ad Reward | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Donate | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great and addicting game
- 👍 Interesting story and educational
- 👍 Numbers go big
- 👍 User-friendly with good descriptions
- 👍 Highly automated progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- ⏱️ Slow progression after initial stages
- 🕹️ Difficult mini-games
- 🔒 Harsh time-change penalty
- 🔋 Potential performance issues on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Puzzle mini-games not loading correctly
- Offline progress issues after updates
- Occasional app crashes

**Requested features**

- More mini-games and challenges
- Better explanations for advanced mechanics
- Adjustable color schemes and visual customization
- Improved offline progress tracking
- Smoother performance and optimization


### Scratch Inc.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch-inc/id6745529538)

An idle incremental game where you build an empire by scratching cards and earning points. Upgrade your cards, unlock automation, and prestige to progress faster. Enjoy endless upgrades, achievements, and global leaderboards with no ads or wait timers.

**Highlights:** Endless Upgrades, Prestige for Progress, Achievements with Rewards, Global Leaderboards, Playable Offline, No Ads

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 Gold | $1.99 | one-time |
| 55 Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| 120 Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| 260 Gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| 750 Gold | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Satisfying idle mechanics
- 💡 Active developer listening to feedback
- 👍 Optional in-app purchases
- 👍 Polished interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 In-app purchases feel expensive
- 🔧 Needs more balance and content
- 🐛 Offline rewards not working consistently

**Reported bugs**

- Offline rewards rarely triggering
- Lacking sound effects

**Requested features**

- More skin tone options for avatar
- Better variety and more offline rewards


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exponential Idle free?

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

### Is Scratch Inc. free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Exponential Idle or Scratch Inc.?

Exponential Idle is rated higher. Exponential Idle averages 4.9 out of 5 from 4.1K ratings, while Scratch Inc. averages 4.7 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Exponential Idle or Scratch Inc. have ads?

Exponential Idle shows ads; Scratch Inc. does not.

### Which is updated more often, Exponential Idle or Scratch Inc.?

Exponential Idle ships an update every 3 weeks, and Scratch Inc. every 3 days. Most recently, Exponential Idle was updated on September 22, 2026 and Scratch Inc. on September 22, 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.*