# Mad Evolution vs Idle Chest

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Idle Chest at 81% against Mad Evolution's 40%. Idle Chest also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mad Evolution sells 10 one-off in-app purchases 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 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 109 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Mad Evolution's written reviews are positive against 81% of Idle Chest's.

Mad Evolution ships an update every 2 weeks, Idle Chest every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mad Evolution | Idle Chest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-evolution-idle-merge/id6742938209/reviews) | **[4.5 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-chest/id6744372975/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 43 | **109** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **80.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 186 MB | 192 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oleksandr Mykhailov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1036995762) | [Thomas Gunzburger](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807389356) |

## What reviewers say

### Mad Evolution

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-evolution-idle-merge/id6742938209)

Fuse and evolve quirky monsters to create a bizarre empire. Earn coins non-stop, even offline, and unlock strange new worlds. This idle merge game offers simple yet addictive gameplay with absurd boosters for endless progression.

**Highlights:** Fuse and evolve monsters, Earn coins offline, Unlock new worlds, Upgrade creatures and chests, Use powerful boosters, Infinite upgrades

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tanos Finger | $3.99 | one-time |
| Chestplosion | $3.99 | one-time |
| Mergonator | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold Rush | $4.99 | one-time |
| Handy Stack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Chaos Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| Fat Bundle | $12.99 | 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 Mad Evolution free?

Mad Evolution 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, Mad Evolution or Idle Chest?

Idle Chest is rated higher. Mad Evolution averages 4.2 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while Idle Chest averages 4.5 from 109 ratings.

### Do Mad Evolution or Idle Chest have ads?

Both Mad Evolution and Idle Chest show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mad Evolution or Idle Chest?

Mad Evolution ships an update every 2 weeks, and Idle Chest every 10 days. Most recently, Mad Evolution was updated on November 8, 2026 and Idle Chest on November 10, 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.*