# Hacker Sim vs Shadow Node

The clearest difference is update cadence: Shadow Node at weekly against Hacker Sim's every 5 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hacker Sim sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Shadow Node sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hacker Sim ships an update every 5 weeks, Shadow Node weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 1, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hacker Sim | Shadow Node |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-sim-hacking-tycoon/id6749781043/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **17** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 45 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JOBEE DEVELOPMENTS LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1782783227) | [NETBYTE UG (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854412817) |

## What reviewers say

### Hacker Sim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-sim-hacking-tycoon/id6749781043)

Build a digital empire through strategic hacking, trading, and mining. Manage your "Heat" level, complete contracts, and upgrade your rig. Features a new story mode where you battle a cyber threat.

**Highlights:** Story Mode with branching objectives, Multi-stage hacking mechanics, Real-time Heat management system, Simulated cryptocurrency market trading, In-game crypto mining, Botnet building and management, Hardware and skill upgrades

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Operator Pass Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Operator Pass Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Extra Streak Freeze | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cash Pack (Small) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Heat Amnesty Token | $1.99 | one-time |
| Recovery Kit | $2.99 | one-time |
| Crypto Stash (Small) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Heat Insurance (1hr) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Field Kit | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cash Pack (Medium) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Black Budget Cache | $4.99 | one-time |
| Research Boost Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Crypto Stash (Medium) | $5.99 | one-time |
| Circuit Breakers Forever | $6.99 | one-time |
| Cash Pack (Large) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Operator License | $14.99 | one-time |


### Shadow Node

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-node-idle-hacker/id6759072485)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hacker Sim free?

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

### Is Shadow Node free?

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

### Do Hacker Sim or Shadow Node have ads?

Both Hacker Sim and Shadow Node show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hacker Sim or Shadow Node?

Hacker Sim ships an update every 5 weeks, and Shadow Node weekly. Most recently, Hacker Sim was updated on August 1, 2026 and Shadow Node on September 19, 2026.

---

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