# HackEm vs Townopolis

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Townopolis at 71% against HackEm's 25%. Townopolis also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 21 months). HackEm's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $3.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

HackEm costs $1.99 and Townopolis $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Townopolis holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of HackEm's written reviews are positive against 71% of Townopolis's.

HackEm ships an update every 21 months, Townopolis every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HackEm | Townopolis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackem/id1667095744/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/townopolis/id6449364664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 78 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Game Dev Team](https://appshunter.io/developer/561134317) | [Lonely Troops](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688214061) |

## What reviewers say

### HackEm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackem/id1667095744)

Engage in a unique blend of real-time strategy and tower defense as a hacker seeking revenge. Build a base to extract data and defend against security drones and autobots on randomly generated maps. Upgrade weapons and equipment with earned credits.

**Highlights:** Real-time strategy and tower defense mix, Diverse enemies with unique mechanics, Randomly generated maps, Extensive weapon and equipment upgrades, Intuitive controls, No ads or in-app purchases

**In-app purchases:** none


### Townopolis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/townopolis/id6449364664)

Construct an idyllic neighborhood and manage services to keep residents happy and profitable. Enjoy a comprehensive campaign or create custom scenarios in this casual city-building simulation game.

**Highlights:** Construct idyllic neighborhoods, Build houses, structures, and buildings, 24 campaign scenarios, Custom scenario creation, 22 achievements, Time management simulation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HackEm free?

HackEm costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Townopolis free?

Townopolis costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HackEm or Townopolis?

Townopolis is rated higher. HackEm averages 3.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Townopolis averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do HackEm or Townopolis have ads?

Neither HackEm nor Townopolis shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HackEm or Townopolis?

HackEm ships an update every 21 months, and Townopolis every 2 months. Most recently, HackEm was updated on November 3, 2026 and Townopolis on November 3, 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.*