# Idle Acorns vs Magic Research 2

The clearest difference is update cadence: Magic Research 2 at every 3 days against Idle Acorns's every 6 weeks. Magic Research 2 also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 60%) and chart position (#13 vs #52). Idle Acorns's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 115) and price ($1.99 vs $4.69). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Idle Acorns costs $1.99 and Magic Research 2 $4.69 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 4.8 for Magic Research 2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Acorns has 1.2K ratings behind it against 115, 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 82% of Magic Research 2's.

Idle Acorns ships an update every 6 weeks, Magic Research 2 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Acorns | Magic Research 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $4.69 |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-acorns/id1552999208/reviews) | [4.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | 60.2% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #52 | **#13** |
| Size | 149 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.1 | **13.0** |
| 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 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Paid · Role Playing, #50 Top Paid · Simulation, #141 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Embark on a magical quest as a rookie wizard to find or create the Philosopher's Stone. Utilize over 120 spells, transmute hundreds of items, and lead a team of wizards in a semi-automated combat system. Explore dozens of areas, uncover secrets, and experience over 60 hours of gameplay.

**Highlights:** Over 120 distinct spells, Transmute over 250 items, Control a team of wizards, Semi-automated combat system, Explore dozens of areas, Discover secrets and storylines, Retirement bonuses for faster progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic sequel, better than the first
- 👍 Incredible sense of progression
- 💡 Fun build types, best in genre
- 👍 Incremental masterclass, gold standard
- 👍 True semi-idle masterpiece

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Extremely complicated, tedious timers
- 🐛 UI is absolutely atrocious
- 🐛 Time pieces cap out at 100k
- 🐛 UI issues, not easy to navigate
- 🐛 Sorting doesn't sort exactly as wanted

**Reported bugs**

- App instantly crashes on open
- Game crashes on startup
- App started rapidly pushing buttons on its own
- Overheating phone
- Lags and gets choppy in the late game

**Requested features**

- DLC or sequel news
- macOS version
- Better automation and convenience features
- Tweak familiar search time down
- Release the next one


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Acorns free?

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

### Is Magic Research 2 free?

Magic Research 2 costs $4.69, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Idle Acorns or Magic Research 2?

Idle Acorns and Magic Research 2 are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.2K and 115 ratings respectively.

### Do Idle Acorns or Magic Research 2 have ads?

Neither Idle Acorns nor Magic Research 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Acorns or Magic Research 2?

Idle Acorns ships an update every 6 weeks, and Magic Research 2 every 3 days. Most recently, Idle Acorns was updated on September 22, 2026 and Magic Research 2 on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Idle Acorns or Magic Research 2?

Idle Acorns currently peaks at #52 in the App Store charts, and Magic Research 2 at #13. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*