# Canal Constructor vs Card Alchemy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Card Alchemy at none against Canal Constructor's 8. Card Alchemy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 4 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Canal Constructor sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Card Alchemy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Canal Constructor ships an update every 4 months, Card Alchemy daily. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Canal Constructor | Card Alchemy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canal-constructor/id6739828949/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 254 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Solid Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625798412) | [Donggun Cho](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831277762) |

## What reviewers say

### Canal Constructor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canal-constructor/id6739828949)

Build and manage a tiered canal system in this idle simulation game. Operate locks to control water levels, guide cargo ships for profit, and upgrade your infrastructure to become a water trade tycoon. Strategize and optimize your waterways for a relaxing yet engaging experience.

**Highlights:** Manage tiered canal systems, Operate locks to control water levels, Guide cargo ships for profit, Upgrade locks and expand waterways, Idle gameplay and simulation, Canal construction strategy

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| diamonds_1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| diamonds_2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 7 Days no ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| diamonds_3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Permanently remove ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| diamonds_4 | $19.99 | one-time |
| diamonds_5 | $49.99 | one-time |
| diamonds_6 | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Excellent
- 🕰 Time killer
- 👍 Very good

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Filled with ads
- ⏱ Forced long ads
- 🙄 Ads ruin gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Ads make game unplayable

**Requested features**

- Reduce ads
- Allow skipping ads


### Card Alchemy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-alchemy/id6754333056)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Canal Constructor free?

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

### Is Card Alchemy free?

Card Alchemy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Canal Constructor or Card Alchemy have ads?

Canal Constructor shows ads; Card Alchemy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Canal Constructor or Card Alchemy?

Canal Constructor ships an update every 4 months, and Card Alchemy daily. Most recently, Canal Constructor was updated on October 15, 2026 and Card Alchemy on October 12, 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.*