# Idle Acorns vs Magic Research

Idle Acorns and Magic Research both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of Magic Research's written reviews are positive against 60% of Idle Acorns's. Magic Research also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks). Idle Acorns's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 188) and price ($1.99 vs $3.99). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and chart position there is nothing between them.

Idle Acorns costs $1.99 and Magic Research $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Idle Acorns against 4.7 for Magic Research. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Acorns has 1.2K ratings behind it against 188, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Idle Acorns's written reviews are positive against 95% of Magic Research's.

Idle Acorns ships an update every 6 weeks, Magic Research every 4 days. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Acorns | Magic Research |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-acorns/id1552999208/reviews)** | [4.7 (188 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research/id1671272877/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 188 |
| Positive reviews | 60.2% of reviews | **95.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#52** | #111 |
| Size | 149 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [aleros.io LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552999210) | [Matias Ezequiel Colotto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1669682477) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Acorns

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-acorns/id1552999208)

**Currently charting:** #52 Top Paid · Casual, #116 Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)

A classic idle clicker game with a charming narrative. Explore diverse environments, gather resources, craft items, and play mini-games. Enjoy a pure, ad-free experience with no in-app purchases or data mining.

**Highlights:** Resource gathering and upgrades, Crafting over 24 items, Fishing and cooking mini-game, Gardening and tree growing, Campfire for inviting characters, iCloud backup support, Game Center integration

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Charming and relaxing
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Pleasant aesthetics
- 🕹️ Satisfying gameplay loop
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Slow progression and pacing
- 🔍 Unclear mechanics and lack of explanation
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔌 Limited offline progress
- 🔢 Inconsistent upgrade costs

**Reported bugs**

- Tree disappearing issue
- Bat not recognizing feather purchases
- Zoom and UI issues on certain devices
- Negative acorn balance after time manipulation

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More late-game content
- Improved UI and navigation
- Better explanation of game mechanics
- Increased offline progress


### Magic Research

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research/id1671272877)

**Currently charting:** #111 Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)

Lead a new magic institution to discover the secrets of magic and achieve fame. Research spells, build your campus, manage staff, and uncover hidden storylines to win the Tournament of Magic. Enjoy a complete game experience with no ads.

**Highlights:** Cast over 100 spells, Research magic in various schools, Build and manage campus, Manage researchers and apprentices, Discover hidden features and storylines, Retirement bonuses for faster progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great idle/incremental game
- 💡 Deep and complex systems
- 🚀 Well-paced progression
- 💰 Worth the price
- ✨ No ads or microtransactions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 UI layout issues
- 🐌 Can be grindy
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🐛 Text running off page/scrolling issues
- 🐛 Wood resource bug

**Reported bugs**

- On new iPhones, switching away and back causes UI unresponsiveness
- Text running off the page, preventing interaction with buttons
- Wood resource counting backwards
- Becoming stunned for a full minute, unable to act
- Bosses running away from fights

**Requested features**

- Add background music
- Add Chinese language support
- Make monsters pixelated
- Adjustable times for apprentice auto-casting
- Display monstium collection counter during exploration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Acorns free?

Idle Acorns costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Magic Research free?

Magic Research costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Idle Acorns or Magic Research?

Idle Acorns is rated higher. Idle Acorns averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Magic Research averages 4.7 from 188 ratings.

### Do Idle Acorns or Magic Research have ads?

Neither Idle Acorns nor Magic Research shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Acorns or Magic Research?

Idle Acorns ships an update every 6 weeks, and Magic Research every 4 days. Most recently, Idle Acorns was updated on September 22, 2026 and Magic Research on September 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Idle Acorns or Magic Research?

Idle Acorns currently peaks at #52 in the App Store charts, and Magic Research at #111. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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