# PROTOCOL vs Tiny Empire

PROTOCOL and Tiny Empire are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. PROTOCOL sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Tiny Empire sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PROTOCOL ships an update every 3 days, Tiny Empire every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PROTOCOL | Tiny Empire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 5 days |
| Size | 259 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [SungGwon Han](https://appshunter.io/developer/1117887913) | [Noah Miller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895591070) |

## What reviewers say

### PROTOCOL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/protocol-zero-rift/id6740158945)

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beginner Package 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sale Package 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sale Package 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sale Package 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Package 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ad | $5.99 | one-time |
| Daily Special Mission Ticket | $7.99 | one-time |
| Mission Energy Booster (30 Days) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Stage Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Package 3 | $14.99 | one-time |


### Tiny Empire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tiny-empire-castle-defense/id6788042589)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Empire Pass Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Empire Pass Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Resource Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass Premium | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Pass | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PROTOCOL free?

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

### Is Tiny Empire free?

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

### Do PROTOCOL or Tiny Empire have ads?

Both PROTOCOL and Tiny Empire show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PROTOCOL or Tiny Empire?

PROTOCOL ships an update every 3 days, and Tiny Empire every 5 days. Most recently, PROTOCOL was updated on October 30, 2026 and Tiny Empire on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*