# Mining Empire vs Base Commander

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Base Commander at 6K against Mining Empire's 1.2K. Mining Empire's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mining Empire sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Base Commander sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 Mining Empire against 4.6 for Base Commander. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 16% of Mining Empire's written reviews are positive against 13% of Base Commander's.

Mining Empire ships an update every 3 weeks, Base Commander every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mining Empire | Base Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mining-empire-idle-metal-inc/id1636832060/reviews) | **[4.6 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/base-commander/id6504986006/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K | **6K** |
| Positive reviews | **15.7% of reviews** | 13.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 256 MB | 445 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ORCAT PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781614333) | [Supercent, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571435385) |

## What reviewers say

### Mining Empire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mining-empire-idle-metal-inc/id1636832060)

Build a mining empire from scratch with just a pickaxe. Expand your operations, train workers, hire staff and managers, and upgrade machinery to become a successful tycoon. Enjoy managing your production lines and selling products.

**Highlights:** Expand mines, Train miners, Hire staff and managers, Purchase and upgrade machines, Maintain delivery vehicles, Sell final products

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diamond *120 | $0.99 | one-time |
| AD Ticket *40 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ads Remover | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Gift | $4.99 | one-time |
| Diamond *720 | $4.99 | one-time |
| AD Ticket *100 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Luxury Gift | $9.99 | one-time |
| Diamond *1750 | $9.99 | one-time |
| AD Ticket *200 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Diamond *4200 | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game
- ⚙️ Enjoyable gameplay
- 🔍 Interesting mining/factory mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔁 Repetitive content
- 🔒 Lack of progression

**Reported bugs**

- Blank levels
- Inability to progress
- Audio issues
- Broken functionality after updates

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Reduce ads or offer ad-free option
- Fix bugs and glitches
- Improve progression and longevity


### Base Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/base-commander/id6504986006)

Command a military base, train recruits into seasoned soldiers, and expand your facilities. Defend against enemy attacks, compete in multiplayer battles, and research new technologies to stay ahead.

**Highlights:** Command as a Lieutenant, Train Recruits, Expand Your Base, Defend Against Threats, Compete and Cooperate, Constant Progression

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| noadspack_6.99 | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Cool game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive ads
- 🤯 Unplayable due to ads
- 😡 Forced ads
- 🤔 Progress reset after update

**Reported bugs**

- Progress reset after update

**Requested features**

- Reduce ad frequency
- Add assistant features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mining Empire free?

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

### Is Base Commander free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mining Empire or Base Commander?

Base Commander is rated higher. Mining Empire averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Base Commander averages 4.6 from 6K ratings.

### Do Mining Empire or Base Commander have ads?

Both Mining Empire and Base Commander show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mining Empire or Base Commander?

Mining Empire ships an update every 3 weeks, and Base Commander every 6 weeks. Most recently, Mining Empire was updated on November 3, 2026 and Base Commander on November 8, 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.*