# Idle Elements vs Hexcape

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Idle Elements at none against Hexcape's 4. Idle Elements also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 4 days) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hexcape sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Idle Elements asks for nothing beyond the download.

Idle Elements ships an update daily, Hexcape every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Elements | Hexcape |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-elements/id6502619739/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 96 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nigmatic Sound LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451103347) | [AppMentor Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858513601) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Elements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-elements/id6502619739)

Merge crystals by matching three or more to generate increasingly large numbers. Manage your elements carefully to avoid negative consequences as you play.

**Highlights:** Match 3 crystal merging, Idle gameplay mechanics, Number generation, Element management, Strategic gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hexcape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexcape-arrow-puzzle-escape/id6759400605)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1000 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10.000 Coins and Items | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Elements free?

Idle Elements is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hexcape free?

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

### Do Idle Elements or Hexcape have ads?

Both Idle Elements and Hexcape show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Elements or Hexcape?

Idle Elements ships an update daily, and Hexcape every 4 days. Most recently, Idle Elements was updated on November 4, 2026 and Hexcape on October 31, 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.*