# The Thinking Machines vs Linux Simulator

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Thinking Machines | Linux Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 52 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TagMango Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1611765353) | [Christopher Paton](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888321858) |

## What reviewers say

### The Thinking Machines

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-thinking-machines/id6469945047)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fighter Membership | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buddha Membership | $79.99 | one-time |
| Sages | $129.99 | one-time |
| Master Membership | $149.99 | one-time |


### Linux Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linux-simulator/id6762078018)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*