# Idle Code Tycoon vs Merge Lighthouse

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Merge Lighthouse at none against Idle Code Tycoon's 8. Merge Lighthouse also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Idle Code Tycoon's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Idle Code Tycoon sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Merge Lighthouse asks for nothing beyond the download.

Idle Code Tycoon ships an update every 2 weeks, Merge Lighthouse monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Idle Code Tycoon | Merge Lighthouse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (335 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-code-tycoon/id6754207431/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **335** | — |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Mariana Brasil](https://appshunter.io/developer/1832062099) | [Seonggon Sim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565259950) |

## What reviewers say

### Idle Code Tycoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-code-tycoon/id6754207431)

Build and automate a coding empire from intern to tycoon. Tap to write code, upgrade your gear, and hire developers to generate lines of code even while offline. Prestige to unlock permanent perks and climb the leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Tap to write code, Automate workflow, Hire developers, Prestige for permanent bonuses, Unlock permanent perks, Redesigned interface

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 25 Points | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Developer Kit | $1.99 | one-time |
| First Merge Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 Points | $1.99 | one-time |
| 90 Points | $2.99 | one-time |
| Double Productivity | $3.99 | one-time |
| 200 Points | $4.99 | one-time |
| 500 Points | $9.99 | one-time |


### Merge Lighthouse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-lighthouse/id6787807174)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Idle Code Tycoon free?

Idle Code Tycoon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Merge Lighthouse free?

Merge Lighthouse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Idle Code Tycoon or Merge Lighthouse have ads?

Neither Idle Code Tycoon nor Merge Lighthouse shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Idle Code Tycoon or Merge Lighthouse?

Idle Code Tycoon ships an update every 2 weeks, and Merge Lighthouse monthly. Most recently, Idle Code Tycoon was updated on October 15, 2026 and Merge Lighthouse on October 4, 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.*