# Detective Protocol vs Asticus

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Asticus at none against Detective Protocol's 5. Asticus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). Detective Protocol's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Detective Protocol sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Asticus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Detective Protocol ships an update every 4 days, Asticus every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Detective Protocol | Asticus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Size | 82 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Miguel Vieira](https://appshunter.io/developer/641139920) | [Mensah Software Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706573076) |

## What reviewers say

### Detective Protocol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detective-protocol-crime-sim/id6759249109)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Global Jurisdiction | $2.99 | one-time |
| Elite Training Module | $2.99 | one-time |
| Visual-Freq Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |
| Restricted Case Files | $2.99 | one-time |
| Director's Clearance | $9.99 | one-time |


### Asticus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asticus/id6792489652)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Detective Protocol free?

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

### Is Asticus free?

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

### Do Detective Protocol or Asticus have ads?

Detective Protocol shows ads; Asticus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Detective Protocol or Asticus?

Detective Protocol ships an update every 4 days, and Asticus every 3 weeks. Most recently, Detective Protocol was updated on October 16, 2026 and Asticus on October 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.*