# Idle Civilizations vs PathLock

The clearest difference is update cadence: PathLock at every 2 days against Idle Civilizations's every 5 weeks. Idle Civilizations's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Civilizations sells 18 one-off in-app purchases and PathLock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Idle Civilizations ships an update every 5 weeks, PathLock every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Civilizations | PathLock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-civilizations-evolution/id6447911434/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 32.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 521 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SayGames LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551847165) | [Ilker KARAMANLI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838988018) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Civilizations

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-civilizations-evolution/id6447911434)

Build and grow civilizations from the dawn of humanity to the future in this idle strategy game. Earn money, hire workers, and customize your character as you progress through different historical eras. Relax and watch your empire expand without pressure.

**Highlights:** Build and grow civilizations, Idle progression, Time travel mechanics, Resource management, Character customization, Tower building

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

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mini Gem Package | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fortune Wheel Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Better Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank | $2.99 | one-time |
| Welcome pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Skip Ad Tickets Offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Small Gem Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Greatest Starter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Fortune Wheel Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove ADS | $5.99 | one-time |
| Income Boost x2 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gem Package | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dragon slayer pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Free Rewards Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Upgraded Epic Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast progression
- 👍 Cute graphics and animations
- 🔒 No forced ads
- 🚀 Satisfying gameplay loop

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 💰 Expensive ad removal
- 🔁 Repetitive progression
- 🤑 Excessive microtransactions
- 🔍 Lack of instructions/tutorials

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to craft higher rarity event items
- Offline progress not working
- Purchased ad removal not working

**Requested features**

- More levels and content updates
- Save/load game progress
- Improved balance and progression


### PathLock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pathlock-number-puzzle/id6759974094)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PathLock Premium Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| PathLock Premium Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| PathLock Premium Yearly | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Civilizations free?

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

### Is PathLock free?

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

### Do Idle Civilizations or PathLock have ads?

Both Idle Civilizations and PathLock show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Civilizations or PathLock?

Idle Civilizations ships an update every 5 weeks, and PathLock every 2 days. Most recently, Idle Civilizations was updated on October 19, 2026 and PathLock on September 30, 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.*