# Incremental ELM Quest vs Idle Mage Academy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Idle Mage Academy at 100% against Incremental ELM Quest's 48%. Idle Mage Academy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Incremental ELM Quest's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Incremental ELM Quest sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Idle Mage Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Incremental ELM Quest holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Incremental ELM Quest has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of Incremental ELM Quest's written reviews are positive against 100% of Idle Mage Academy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Incremental ELM Quest ships an update every 6 days, Idle Mage Academy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Incremental ELM Quest | Idle Mage Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/incremental-elm-quest/id6760921175/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-mage-academy/id6781848358/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 47.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 55 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eric Marin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886824253) | [SONGHWA CHAE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896751262) |

## What reviewers say

### Incremental ELM Quest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/incremental-elm-quest/id6760921175)

Embark on a challenging incremental RPG adventure where every battle and defeat fuels your progress. Upgrade your hero, build your town, and strategize to overcome hundreds of unique foes and powerful bosses. This game offers a rewarding experience for both short sessions and extended play.

**Highlights:** Incremental RPG gameplay, Hero upgrades and evolutions, Town building for progression, Boss battles with unique tactics, Permanent bonuses from defeats, Hundreds of unique enemies

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy Dev a Coffee (+30 Renown) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy Dev Lunch (+200 Renown) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Fully Support Dev (+450 Renown) | $9.99 | one-time |


### Idle Mage Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-mage-academy/id6781848358)

Rise from a failing student to a legendary archmage through idle training and strategic growth. Your spells and rewards accumulate even when you're offline. Progress through the academy, unlock new abilities, and compete globally.

**Highlights:** Idle growth and offline rewards, Webnovel-style narrative, Unlock new spells and dungeons, Library research for permanent buffs, Duel Club for tactical combat, Rebirth system for endless progression, Global online ranking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Incremental ELM Quest free?

Incremental ELM Quest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Idle Mage Academy free?

Idle Mage Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Incremental ELM Quest or Idle Mage Academy?

Incremental ELM Quest is rated higher. Incremental ELM Quest averages 4.4 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Idle Mage Academy averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Incremental ELM Quest or Idle Mage Academy have ads?

Idle Mage Academy shows ads; Incremental ELM Quest does not.

### Which is updated more often, Incremental ELM Quest or Idle Mage Academy?

Incremental ELM Quest ships an update every 6 days, and Idle Mage Academy every 2 months. Most recently, Incremental ELM Quest was updated on October 21, 2026 and Idle Mage Academy on October 28, 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.*