Comparison

The Thinking Machines vs Linux Simulator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

The Thinking Machines

Features
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Join The Thinking Machines community and unlock a world of content! Dive into our pre-recorded courses, sign up for live workshops, earn certifications, and much more. Be part of the awesome community you've always wanted to join!

About

Linux Simulator

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A simulated Linux terminal in your pocket, wrapped in a lovingly built classic beige computer. Type real commands, get real output, and learn the command line properly: no account, no subscription, no internet required. THE SIMULATOR The heart of the app is a simulated shell running entirely on your device. It has a full virtual filesystem (/etc, /var/log, your own home directory), proper pipes and redirection, environment variables, tab completion, and command history. Over 40 real commands work the way they do on a real machine: ls, cd, cat, grep, find, sort, head, tail, wc, cut, tr, cp, mv, rm, mkdir, chmod-style permissions in listings, man pages for every command, and a working nano editor that saves back to the filesystem. Pipe grep through wc. Redirect echo into a file and cat it back. Break things, then type reset. It is completely safe: rm -rf / is a learning experience here, not a disaster. GUIDED LESSONS IN THE TERMINAL Five hands-on lessons run inside the real terminal, watching what you type and nudging you at each step, from your first pwd to pipes and redirection. Mistype a command and the simulator tells you what it thinks you meant. Commands we do not simulate, like sudo and apt, point you to the chapter that explains them. A COMPLETE COURSE 63 topics across four domains: the command line, system administration, programming tools, and modern Linux (containers, cloud, systemd). Each topic has an animated walkthrough you can replay, adaptive practice questions, and typing challenges where you enter real commands on a keyboard built for Linux (with a dedicated symbol row for | > ~ $ and friends). LEARNING THAT ADAPTS 630 practice questions tune themselves to your level: start easy, advance as you improve. Questions you miss come back at growing intervals using spaced repetition, so they stick. A recommended path guides you topic by topic, but nothing is ever locked: this is your machine. MAKE IT A HABIT Daily goals, streaks, XP, levels from Newbie to Root, and achievements to collect. A progress dashboard on a little phosphor status display shows exactly where you stand. PAY ONCE, OWN EVERYTHING No subscription. No in-app purchases. No ads. No account. No data collected. Every topic, question, challenge, and lesson is included offline. From the maker of textbookoflinux.com. Try the simulator for free in your browser, then take the full machine with you.

Screenshots

The Thinking Machines4 screens
Linux Simulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: The Thinking Machines at Free against Linux Simulator's $9.99. The Thinking Machines also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Linux Simulator's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 7 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

The Thinking Machines is free to download; Linux Simulator costs $9.99 up front. The Thinking Machines sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Linux Simulator sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Thinking Machines ships an update every 7 months, Linux Simulator every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
The Thinking Machines versus Linux Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Thinking MachinesLinux Simulator
PriceFree โ€” better$9.99
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 4 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size52 MB9 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperTagMango IncChristopher Paton

In-app purchases

4 purchases

The Thinking Machines

One-time4
  • Fighter Membership$0.99
  • Buddha Membership$79.99
  • Sages$129.99
Show 1 more
  • Master Membership$149.99
2 purchases

Linux Simulator

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly subscription$2.991 Month
  • Annual subscription$19.991 Year

Questions

Is The Thinking Machines free?
The Thinking Machines is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Linux Simulator free?
Linux Simulator costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do The Thinking Machines or Linux Simulator have ads?
Neither The Thinking Machines nor Linux Simulator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Thinking Machines or Linux Simulator?
The Thinking Machines ships an update every 7 months, and Linux Simulator every 4 days. Most recently, The Thinking Machines was updated on September 27, 2026 and Linux Simulator on October 10, 2026.

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