# Candybox vs Idle Chest

The clearest difference is rating: Idle Chest at 4.5 against Candybox's 3.2. Idle Chest also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 44%) and ratings volume (109 vs 15). Candybox's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 10 days). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Candybox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Idle Chest sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Idle Chest holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Idle Chest has 109 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Candybox's written reviews are positive against 81% of Idle Chest's.

Candybox ships an update daily, Idle Chest every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Candybox | Idle Chest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candybox-mobile/id6630378383/reviews) | **[4.5 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-chest/id6744372975/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **109** |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | **80.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 192 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Noe LE PHILIPPE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1637610714) | [Thomas Gunzburger](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807389356) |

## What reviewers say

### Candybox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candybox-mobile/id6630378383)

Embark on an ASCII art role-playing adventure starting with candy collection. Discover a world of quests, battles, exploration, and crafting. Unravel mysteries and upgrade your character to uncover hidden secrets.

**Highlights:** Candy collection and resource management, Text-based role-playing adventure, Combat against various enemies, Exploration of diverse game worlds, Quest completion and puzzle solving, Crafting and item upgrading, Discovery of hidden secrets and Easter eggs

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Idle Chest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-chest/id6744372975)

Embark on a treasure-hunting adventure where every click earns rewards. Upgrade your skills, collect and enhance equipment, and unlock unique abilities. Discover the secrets of this world through engaging gameplay and an addictive incremental experience.

**Highlights:** Open various chests, Loot and upgrade equipment, Buy skill upgrades, Unlock unique skills, Discover game story

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Underwater Background Skin | $3.99 | one-time |
| Underwater Chests Skin | $3.99 | one-time |
| Underwater Acolytes Skin | $3.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| Underwater Complete Skins Pack | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun short idle clicker
- 👍 Consistent theme
- 👍 Enjoyable experience
- 👍 Minimalistic but rewarding grind
- 💰 Non-intrusive ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game breaking bug with 'Chosen One' minion
- 🔍 Difficult to compare tap damage to acolyte damage
- 🔍 Some explanations could be improved
- 🔍 Slightly linear progression

**Reported bugs**

- Progress resets or reverts
- Minions not working after equipping 'Chosen One'

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Better UI for comparing damage sources


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Candybox free?

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

### Is Idle Chest free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Candybox or Idle Chest?

Idle Chest is rated higher. Candybox averages 3.2 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Idle Chest averages 4.5 from 109 ratings.

### Do Candybox or Idle Chest have ads?

Idle Chest shows ads; Candybox does not.

### Which is updated more often, Candybox or Idle Chest?

Candybox ships an update daily, and Idle Chest every 10 days. Most recently, Candybox was updated on October 24, 2026 and Idle Chest 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.*