# Idle Atom inc. vs Scratch Inc.

The clearest difference is ads: Scratch Inc. at none against Idle Atom inc.'s shown. Scratch Inc. also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 367). Idle Atom inc.'s advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Atom inc. sells 23 one-off in-app purchases and Scratch Inc. sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Idle Atom inc. against 4.7 for Scratch Inc.. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scratch Inc. has 1.9K ratings behind it against 367, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Idle Atom inc.'s written reviews are positive against 93% of Scratch Inc.'s.

Idle Atom inc. ships an update fortnightly, Scratch Inc. every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Atom inc. | Scratch Inc. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (367 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-atom-inc-element-merge/id6676996063/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch-inc/id6745529538/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 367 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | **93.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 263 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Arsen Asoian](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844549353) | [Makopaz LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479952757) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Atom inc.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-atom-inc-element-merge/id6676996063)

Build an energy mining empire by merging atoms and advancing through the periodic table. Upgrade your laboratory, unlock new technologies, and manage a team of scientists to discover antimatter and operate advanced scientific equipment. This offline idle simulator offers strategic development and incremental growth.

**Highlights:** Atom merging and element progression, Offline gameplay, Idle progression and automation, Laboratory and technology upgrades, Scientific team management, Incremental growth simulation, Clicker mechanics for faster generation

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

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack 1 (Antimater) | $0.99 | one-time |
| + 10 Quants | $0.99 | one-time |
| Removing banner ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| One coffee please | $0.99 | one-time |
| Student starter pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| + 25 Quants | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack 2 (Antimater) | $1.99 | one-time |
| One burger please | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter pack - Big Version | $1.99 | one-time |
| + 50 quants | $2.99 | one-time |
| Quantbox small | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100 + 10 quants | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pack 3 (Antimater) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 250 + 25 quants | $5.99 | one-time |
| Raise the programmer's level | $5.99 | one-time |
| Pump up the designer | $7.99 | one-time |
| 500 + 50 quants | $8.99 | one-time |
| Quantbox medium | $9.99 | one-time |
| Remove All Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pack 4 (Antimater) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Quant 1500 + 500 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pack 5 (Antimater) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Quants 5500 + 1500 | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive
- 🔍 Informative and educational
- 🕹️ Engaging gameplay
- 🕰️ Good time killer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Lack of explanations and tutorials
- ⏳ Slow offline progression
- 💰 Aggressive monetization

**Reported bugs**

- Atom merging issues
- Reward ads not working
- Restore purchases not working

**Requested features**

- Offline event progress
- In-game wiki/guide
- Cross-platform save sync


### Scratch Inc.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratch-inc/id6745529538)

An idle incremental game where you build an empire by scratching cards and earning points. Upgrade your cards, unlock automation, and prestige to progress faster. Enjoy endless upgrades, achievements, and global leaderboards with no ads or wait timers.

**Highlights:** Endless Upgrades, Prestige for Progress, Achievements with Rewards, Global Leaderboards, Playable Offline, No Ads

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 Gold | $1.99 | one-time |
| 55 Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| 120 Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| 260 Gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| 750 Gold | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Satisfying idle mechanics
- 💡 Active developer listening to feedback
- 👍 Optional in-app purchases
- 👍 Polished interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 In-app purchases feel expensive
- 🔧 Needs more balance and content
- 🐛 Offline rewards not working consistently

**Reported bugs**

- Offline rewards rarely triggering
- Lacking sound effects

**Requested features**

- More skin tone options for avatar
- Better variety and more offline rewards


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Atom inc. free?

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

### Is Scratch Inc. free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Idle Atom inc. or Scratch Inc.?

Scratch Inc. is rated higher. Idle Atom inc. averages 4.6 out of 5 from 367 ratings, while Scratch Inc. averages 4.7 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Idle Atom inc. or Scratch Inc. have ads?

Idle Atom inc. shows ads; Scratch Inc. does not.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Atom inc. or Scratch Inc.?

Idle Atom inc. ships an update fortnightly, and Scratch Inc. every 6 days. Most recently, Idle Atom inc. was updated on October 27, 2026 and Scratch Inc. on October 28, 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.*