# Candy Lab! vs Idle Beverage Empire

The clearest difference is rating: Idle Beverage Empire at 4.8 against Candy Lab!'s 2.1. Idle Beverage Empire also leads on review sentiment (29% vs 0%) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 7). Candy Lab!'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Beverage Empire sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Candy Lab! asks for nothing beyond the download.

Idle Beverage Empire holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Beverage Empire has 1.2K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Candy Lab!'s written reviews are positive against 29% of Idle Beverage Empire's.

Candy Lab! ships an update monthly, Idle Beverage Empire every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Candy Lab! | Idle Beverage Empire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candy-lab/id1619778395/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-beverage-empire/id6504087632/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **28.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 270 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SİMOFUN OYUN TEKNOLOJİLERİ ANONİM ŞİRKETİ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1642942075) | [Solid Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625798412) |

## What reviewers say

### Candy Lab!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candy-lab/id1619778395)

Create and customize various types of hard candies, lollipops, and cotton candies. Sell your sweet creations to customers to earn in-game currency and unlock new candy-making stations and helpers. Discover your favorite designs as you progress through the game.

**Highlights:** Handmake hard candies with custom designs, Create lollipops and cotton candies, Sell candies to customers, Earn money to unlock new stations, Hire workers for assistance, Choose from various candy designs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Idle Beverage Empire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-beverage-empire/id6504087632)

Build and manage your own soda factory in this idle simulation game. Expand your facilities, experiment with flavors, and hire workers to become a beverage tycoon. Watch your production grow and quench the world's thirst.

**Highlights:** Build a soda factory, Carbonation and flavor experimentation, Upgrade machinery, Hire and manage workers, Resource management, Idle production growth

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Contains 10 Ad tickets | $0.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Contains 25 Ad tickets | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads for 2 days | $1.99 | one-time |
| Contains 60 Ad tickets | $3.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads for 7 days | $3.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Offline Manager | $4.99 | one-time |
| Marketing Expert | $4.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Plus | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 4 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Diamond Pack 6 | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun gameplay
- 💡 Unique cola-making concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Excessive ads
- 🚫 Ads disrupt gameplay
- 🚫 Ads too long
- 🚫 Lack of creativity, just a reskin

**Reported bugs**

- No sound
- Bugs and glitches

**Requested features**

- Reduce ad frequency
- Shorten ad duration
- Improve sound and audio quality
- Add more gameplay depth and features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Candy Lab! free?

Candy Lab! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Idle Beverage Empire free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Candy Lab! or Idle Beverage Empire?

Idle Beverage Empire is rated higher. Candy Lab! averages 2.1 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Idle Beverage Empire averages 4.8 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Candy Lab! or Idle Beverage Empire have ads?

Both Candy Lab! and Idle Beverage Empire show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Candy Lab! or Idle Beverage Empire?

Candy Lab! ships an update monthly, and Idle Beverage Empire every 5 months. Most recently, Candy Lab! was updated on September 29, 2026 and Idle Beverage Empire on October 21, 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.*