# PC Simulator vs Contraptor

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Contraptor at none against PC Simulator's 5. Contraptor also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 16 months). PC Simulator's advantage is ratings volume (189 vs 4) and rating (4.3 vs 4.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PC Simulator sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Contraptor asks for nothing beyond the download.

PC Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PC Simulator has 189 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of PC Simulator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Contraptor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PC Simulator ships an update every 16 months, Contraptor every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PC Simulator | Contraptor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pc-simulator/id1623734995/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contraptor/id6772646468/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **189** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 83.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 102 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yi Ming Cheng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1623734997) | [John Coumerilh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1157188388) |

## What reviewers say

### PC Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pc-simulator/id1623734995)

Assemble your own computer by buying components and putting them together. Learn how each part functions and how the entire system works in a first-person view. Test your creation and improve your assembly skills.

**Highlights:** Buy and assemble computer components, Test assembled computers, Improve assembly skills, Learn component functions, Understand computer operation, First-person building view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 BTC | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 BTC | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| 200 BTC | $2.99 | one-time |
| More Coin | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive game
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 💡 Unique PC building concept
- 🚀 Quick money-making through mining

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frustrating controls when building PCs
- 🐛 Parts falling out easily
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and save issues
- 🔋 Game gets boring over time due to lack of updates

**Reported bugs**

- Parts not staying in place during PC assembly
- Bitcoin balance not updating correctly
- Frequent crashes when building complex rigs

**Requested features**

- Add more PC components like new GPUs, CPUs, and cases
- Implement a PC selling/ordering system
- Add more apps and functionality to the in-game PCs
- Improve physics and part placement mechanics
- Implement an auto-save feature


### Contraptor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contraptor/id6772646468)

Create intricate machines to solve physics-based puzzles. Design your own challenges, share them with the community, and compete on leaderboards. Learn physics principles through hands-on tutorials.

**Highlights:** Build with real 2D physics, Solve community challenges, Design and share custom puzzles, Climb leaderboards, Hands-on tutorials, Universal app for iPhone and iPad

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PC Simulator free?

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

### Is Contraptor free?

Contraptor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PC Simulator or Contraptor?

PC Simulator is rated higher. PC Simulator averages 4.3 out of 5 from 189 ratings, while Contraptor averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do PC Simulator or Contraptor have ads?

PC Simulator shows ads; Contraptor does not.

### Which is updated more often, PC Simulator or Contraptor?

PC Simulator ships an update every 16 months, and Contraptor every 3 days. Most recently, PC Simulator was updated on October 9, 2026 and Contraptor on October 5, 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.*