Comparison

Pocket GM vs CBB Simulator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pocket GM

Take control of a professional basketball franchise, managing player acquisitions through drafting, trading, and free agency. Build a winning team, develop talent, and watch games unfold with detailed play-by-play commentary. Create your ultimate basketball dynasty.

Highlights
  • Master the draft
  • Execute trades
  • Sign free agents
  • Build management network
  • Watch play-by-play games
  • Customize rosters
  • Hire coaches and scouts
Features
Read full description

Following the popular Pocket GM: Football series, it's now time to take charge of a Basketball Franchise and sign, trade and draft players to create a the ultimate dynasty in Pocket GM. - Master the Draft: Scout and pick the stars of the future - Trade to Success: Win now, or stock up on draft picks - Pick Up Gems: Build out your team through free agency - Behind The Scenes: Construct a top management and scout network - Watch It Play Out: Watch games play-by-play and track the stats of key players - Customise: Create your own rosters (or import from community) to maximise immersion REPLAYABILITY: Use default players, random rosters or import teams created by the fantastic community. Every game is different and presents a new challenge. CONTROL: Become the General Manager of a Pro Basketball Team and build your dynasty. Hire your coaches, scouts and physios, all with unique traits and schemes, then sign and release players, make trades and draft future stars. Coach your players from rough diamonds to the hall of fame. WATCH: Watch each basketball game play out in amazing play-by-play detail, as momentum shifts from team to team. See your franchise win the Championship and stars build their own legacy. STRATEGY: Go all in to win now, or tank for a chance at #1 draft pick through the lottery - it's up to you! Build your Basketball Dynasty! SHARE: Join the community on reddit and help develop the game to be even better. You determine what features come next.

About

CBB Simulator

Build and manage your college basketball team to national championship glory. Recruit top talent, develop players, and strategize rotations. Navigate the transfer portal and customize your league for ultimate control.

Highlights
  • Recruit elite talent
  • Develop players and manage rotations
  • Navigate the transfer portal
  • Coach progression and skill tree
  • Detailed game simulation
  • Postseason tournament play
  • Custom league creation
Features
Read full description

Build your college basketball dynasty in the most immersive and strategic College Basketball Simulation available. Recruit elite talent, develop players, manage rotations, and chase national championships. COACH: Start at any program and turn it into a national powerhouse. Manage seasons, rotations, minutes, injuries, and long-term player development as you build a team that dominates year after year. RECRUIT: Scout high school prospects, evaluate skill sets, uncover hidden gems, and compete with rival programs for top talent. Recruit high school players using scouting, interest tracking, and scholarship offers. TRANSFER PORTAL: Navigate the modern era of college basketball by recruiting proven players to fill immediate needs. Retain your core, replace departures, and reshape your roster every offseason through the portal. COACH PROGRESSION: Choose your coaching background and grow through a skill tree. Earn XP from season goals and achievements to unlock perks that enhance recruiting, player development, and offensive/defensive strategy. GAME SIMULATION: Experience detailed action driven by pace and matchups. POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT: Compete in realistic postseason formats, from conference tournaments to the national tournament. Survive single-elimination pressure, neutral-site battles, and Cinderella runs on the road to cutting down the nets. NEWS FEED: Follow the college basketball world through an in-game social feed reacting to all things in your world. CUSTOM LEAGUES: Create custom conferences or use a built-in college basketball structure. Import teams, realign leagues, and design the competitive landscape you want to dominate. Start your dynasty today. Build your roster. Control the tempo. Make history.

Screenshots

Pocket GM4 screens
CBB Simulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CBB Simulator at Free against Pocket GM's $2.99. CBB Simulator also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Pocket GM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#11 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

CBB Simulator is free to download; Pocket GM costs $2.99 up front. CBB Simulator sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Pocket GM asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Pocket GM against 4.8 for CBB Simulator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 974 and 707 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Pocket GM's written reviews are positive against 80% of CBB Simulator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pocket GM ships an update every 2 months, CBB Simulator fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Pocket GM versus CBB Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocket GMCBB Simulator
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (974 ratings) — better4.8 (707 ratings)
Positive reviews76.4% of reviews80.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings974 — better707
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#11 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJonathan HowellMani Foroughi

Customer experience

Pocket GM

All ratings936 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive76.4%
Neutral8.3%
Negative15.3%

CBB Simulator

All ratings690 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews61 reviews
Positive80.3%
Neutral8.2%
Negative11.5%

Bugs and requests

Pocket GM

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Players not getting awards or breaking records despite good stats
  • Combine percentages being multiples of 10
  • Player position change boosting team overall significantly

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to adjust cap space
  • Baseball game
  • Soccer version
  • Filter to only see own team matchups
  • Hockey game
Show 2 more
  • NCAA Football game
  • MLB game

CBB Simulator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Pocket GM

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

CBB Simulator

One-time3
  • 1 Checkpoint Token$0.99
  • 5 Checkpoint Tokens$2.99
  • Pro Edition$3.99

Questions

Is Pocket GM free?
Pocket GM costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is CBB Simulator free?
CBB Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pocket GM or CBB Simulator?
Pocket GM is rated higher. Pocket GM averages 4.9 out of 5 from 974 ratings, while CBB Simulator averages 4.8 from 707 ratings.
Do Pocket GM or CBB Simulator have ads?
Neither Pocket GM nor CBB Simulator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pocket GM or CBB Simulator?
Pocket GM ships an update every 2 months, and CBB Simulator fortnightly. Most recently, Pocket GM was updated on November 8, 2026 and CBB Simulator on November 5, 2026.

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