Comparison

The UnderGrowth vs Aether Bastion

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

The UnderGrowth

Features
Read full description

Deep beneath the surface, a living network stirs. You are the cultivator — tap to grow, produce to expand, and unlock the hidden species of the underground. The UnderGrowth is an idle clicker built around the slow, satisfying rhythm of fungal growth. Tap to generate mycelium, watch your production tick upward, and make strategic choices about when to prestige and how to spend your hard-earned spores. GROW YOUR NETWORK Tap the screen to produce mycelium and build your underground operation. Upgrade your production rate and watch your numbers climb — even while you're away. UNLOCK RARE SPECIES Discover and collect a variety of unique underground species, each with its own look and lore. Watch your ecosystem come to life as your collection grows. PRESTIGE & EVOLVE When the time is right, reset your progress and carry forward bonus spores that make each run more powerful than the last. Every prestige brings new potential. BOOST YOUR OPERATION Earn temporary boosts through rewarded ads — double your production for an hour, multiply your tap power, or claim an instant burst of progress. For players who want a permanent edge, the Shop offers one-time upgrades that stay with you forever. BUILT FOR IDLE PLAY Your mycelium keeps growing whether you're actively tapping or not. Check back, collect your haul, and keep expanding. No energy timers. No pay-to-win walls. Just the quiet satisfaction of watching something grow.

About

Aether Bastion

Defend a growing rift against swarms. Strategically expand your keep and spend resources to bring cores home. Enjoy live co-op multiplayer for up to four players.

Highlights
  • Idle rift defense gameplay
  • Strategic keep growth
  • Resource management
  • Live co-op multiplayer (2-4 players)
  • Seasonal events
Features
Read full description

You don't aim. You grow. Aether Bastion is idle rift defense. One lattice. A swarm on the ring. Grow the keep, spend scrap in the run, and bring cores home. • Seasonal tides bring new events to the keep. • Live co-op for 2 to 4 keepers through Game Center, each on their own device (no couch co-op). • No ads. The optional Circle subscription adds an extra Forge, 1.25× cores, and daily gems. Founder packs are gems only. Play on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Plays on iPhone Duo, in portrait on the outer screen and landscape on the unfolded inner screen. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

The UnderGrowth4 screens
Aether Bastion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Aether Bastion at none against The UnderGrowth's shown. The UnderGrowth's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. The UnderGrowth sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Aether Bastion sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The UnderGrowth ships an update every 5 days, Aether Bastion monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
The UnderGrowth versus Aether Bastion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe UnderGrowthAether Bastion
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB165 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperEhren DavisNoffTech LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

The UnderGrowth

One-time2
  • 10× Click Power$0.99
  • 2× Production Boost$0.99
10 purchases

Aether Bastion

Subscriptions1
  • Bastion Circle7 Days trial$7.991 Month
One-time9
  • Handful of Gems$0.99
  • Ember Theme$1.99
  • Awakening Pack$2.99
Show 6 more
  • Ember Pack$2.99
  • Purse of Gems$4.99
  • Founder’s Sigil$4.99
  • Chest of Gems$9.99
  • Vault of Gems$19.99
  • Treasury of Gems$49.99

Questions

Is The UnderGrowth free?
The UnderGrowth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aether Bastion free?
Aether Bastion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do The UnderGrowth or Aether Bastion have ads?
The UnderGrowth shows ads; Aether Bastion does not.
Which is updated more often, The UnderGrowth or Aether Bastion?
The UnderGrowth ships an update every 5 days, and Aether Bastion monthly. Most recently, The UnderGrowth was updated on October 25, 2026 and Aether Bastion on October 22, 2026.

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