# The Elder Scrolls vs TownsFolk

The clearest difference is ads: TownsFolk at none against The Elder Scrolls's shown. TownsFolk also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 49%) and device support (5 vs 3). The Elder Scrolls's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 3.3K) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Elder Scrolls sells 39 one-off in-app purchases and TownsFolk sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for The Elder Scrolls against 4.7 for TownsFolk. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of The Elder Scrolls's written reviews are positive against 73% of TownsFolk's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Elder Scrolls | TownsFolk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elder-scrolls-castles/id1594657136/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/townsfolk/id6670406987/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 3.3K |
| Positive reviews | 49.1% of reviews | **73.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 686 MB | 256 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bethesda](https://appshunter.io/developer/547109759) | [Short Circuit Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681849083) |

## What reviewers say

### The Elder Scrolls

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elder-scrolls-castles/id1594657136)

Build and manage your own castle and dynasty across generations. Make crucial decisions, customize your stronghold, and send heroes on quests to protect your kingdom. Your choices shape your legacy.

**Highlights:** Build and customize your castle, Manage your dynasty across generations, Make impactful kingdom decisions, Train subjects and assign workstations, Complete epic quests with heroes, Equip heroes with epic gear

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

**In-app purchases (39)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Event Bundle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems - 50% discount | $0.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Decoration: Discount | $1.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Shield Spellbreaker | $1.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Axe: Warlock Butcher | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Event Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Potions and Scrolls | $2.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Decoration | $3.99 | one-time |
| Witch-Hunting Reinforcements | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Starter Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (7 days) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Magical Craftsmen | $5.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Event Subject Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| Redguard Bundle: New Blood | $7.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Feast Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Satchel of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Potions and Scrolls | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dwemer Furnace Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (14 days) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Magical Craftsmen | $9.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: Silversmith | $11.99 | one-time |
| Put Your Dukes Up - Discount | $11.99 | one-time |
| A Bit of Everything | $11.99 | one-time |
| Decoration Pack | $12.99 | one-time |
| But make it fashion - discount | $13.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (30 days) | $13.99 | one-time |
| Large Starter Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: It's Adore-able | $17.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Coffer of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle : A Noble Path | $19.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: A Mage's Touch | $19.99 | one-time |
| Biggest Bundle (Big Discount) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Emperor's Pass (1 year) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Strongbox of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Put Your Dukes Up | $29.99 | one-time |
| Weekly Bundle: Silversmith | $29.99 | one-time |
| Imperial Coffer of Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique Elder Scrolls-themed mechanics
- 💡 Interesting character relationships and decision-making
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with paywall-locked content
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and sync issues
- 🕹️ Clunky controls and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to select rooms without selecting characters
- Accidental character movement due to poor UI
- Inconsistent resource collection when game is closed

**Requested features**

- Multiple save files or restart option
- More customization options for castle and characters
- Improved character management tools
- Deeper integration with Elder Scrolls lore and characters


### TownsFolk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/townsfolk/id6670406987)

Lead settlers to build and expand a thriving colony in a mysterious and dangerous world. Manage resources, make critical decisions, and overcome challenges to ensure your settlement's survival. Explore the unknown, face disasters, and appease a demanding king.

**Highlights:** Build and expand settlements, Explore unknown territories, Survive challenges and disasters, Roguelite strategy gameplay, Skirmish and puzzle modes, Handcrafted pixel art visuals, Weekly challenge mode

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shadow of Empires bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| TownsFolk: A new world | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- 👍 Solid tutorial
- 👍 Portrait mode
- 👍 Great city sim game
- 👍 Interesting mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and freezes
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 💰 Requires payment after tutorial
- 🔍 Needs better balancing
- 🔍 Needs deeper gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Tutorial freezes the game
- Can't build anything and days don't progress
- Save data reverts or gets corrupted

**Requested features**

- Creative/easy mode to keep progress
- Leaderboards and daily challenges


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Elder Scrolls free?

The Elder Scrolls is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TownsFolk free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Elder Scrolls or TownsFolk?

TownsFolk is rated higher. The Elder Scrolls averages 4.6 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while TownsFolk averages 4.7 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do The Elder Scrolls or TownsFolk have ads?

The Elder Scrolls shows ads; TownsFolk does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Elder Scrolls or TownsFolk?

The Elder Scrolls ships an update every 2 weeks, and TownsFolk every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Elder Scrolls was updated on October 25, 2026 and TownsFolk on October 24, 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.*