# Planetary Idle vs Swarm Game

Planetary Idle and Swarm Game both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of Swarm Game's written reviews are positive against 50% of Planetary Idle's. Swarm Game also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17). Planetary Idle's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planetary Idle sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Swarm Game sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Planetary Idle against 4.8 for Swarm Game. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 80 and 48 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Planetary Idle's written reviews are positive against 95% of Swarm Game's.

Planetary Idle ships an update weekly, Swarm Game every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planetary Idle | Swarm Game |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-idle/id6450142774/reviews) | **[4.8 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swarm-game/id6466558362/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **80** | 48 |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **95.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 112 MB | 298 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Roberto Frias Nerio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692039143) | [Evan Carr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1686736003) |

## What reviewers say

### Planetary Idle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-idle/id6450142774)

Explore planets with a retro sci-fi idle theme. Hire scientists for passive income, tap for boosts, and research expeditions for discoveries. Prestige to reset with permanent upgrades and unlock perks with rare QBits.

**Highlights:** Hire Scientists for passive income, Tap to boost active income, Research expeditions for discoveries, Prestige system with permanent upgrades, Earn QBits for powerful perks, Offline progress for 6 hours

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Booster Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Research Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Quantum Pack | $6.99 | one-time |


### Swarm Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swarm-game/id6466558362)

Engage in real-time strategy battles across the Hive Universe. Grow your bug army, upgrade your hives, and conquer territories. Compete with players worldwide or team up with friends in this bug-themed conquest.

**Highlights:** Upgradable Hives, Multiple Enemies, Multiplayer Free for All & Teams, Leaderboards, Purchasable Content, Adjustable Game Speed, Tons of Maps

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Grieg Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Tchaikovsky Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hymns Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mozart Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Vivaldi Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bach Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| Christmas Maps | $2.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Espionage Expansion | $4.99 | one-time |
| War Expansion | $4.99 | one-time |
| Colonies | $5.99 | one-time |
| Everything Bundle | $12.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planetary Idle free?

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

### Is Swarm Game free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Planetary Idle or Swarm Game?

Swarm Game is rated higher. Planetary Idle averages 4.8 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Swarm Game averages 4.8 from 48 ratings.

### Do Planetary Idle or Swarm Game have ads?

Both Planetary Idle and Swarm Game show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planetary Idle or Swarm Game?

Planetary Idle ships an update weekly, and Swarm Game every 2 weeks. Most recently, Planetary Idle was updated on October 24, 2026 and Swarm Game on October 24, 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.*