Comparison

Archmage Idle vs Rootflux

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

Head to head
About

Archmage Idle

An idle RPG where you train skills and recruit wizards to conquer foes. Your skills directly impact combat and resource management, with unique abilities like Chronomancy and Diplomacy tying everything together. Collect items and manage resources while your guild works offline.

Highlights
  • Interconnected skill system
  • Recruit and train wizards
  • Elemental hex map combat
  • Resource management (Runecrafting, Alchemy, Mercantile)
  • Offline guild progression
  • Item collection
Features
Read full description

Train Skills. Recruit Wizards. Conquer Foes. An idle/incremental RPG with deeply interconnected skills. Your skills feed the frontlines: Attunement, Summoning, and Sigilry power your wizards as they fight across an elemental hex map. Your skills feed the supply lines: Research, Runecrafting, Alchemy, Mercantile, and Scavenging keep the resources flowing. And skills you won't find anywhere else, like Chronomancy, Diplomacy, and Appraisal, tie it all together. Burn Runes in the Runic Cauldron. Train wizards at the Academy. Sell surplus goods on the Bazaar. Collect hundreds of items that fuel both your skilling and your combat. Your guild keeps working while you're offline.

About

Rootflux

An idle game focused on subterranean exploration and growth. Players expand a root network, gather resources, and break through underground layers to build a deeper living system. Features include idle growth, network expansion, and long-term progression systems.

Highlights
  • Idle nutrient growth
  • Expanding root network
  • Transport and absorption upgrades
  • Breakthrough strata
  • Seedfall and automation systems
Features
Read full description

Rootflux is an idle growth game about sending roots deeper underground. Grow new roots, gather nutrients, strengthen your transport network, break through strata, and gradually build a wider and deeper living system. Features: - Idle nutrient growth over time - A root network that visibly expands as you play - Upgrades for transport, absorption, branching, and depth - Permanent growth through strata breakthroughs - Longer-term systems including seedfall, challenges, and automation Rootflux will continue to grow through frequent updates with new systems, balance changes, and usability improvements.

Screenshots

Archmage Idle4 screens
Rootflux4 screens

Verdict

The call

Archmage Idle and Rootflux both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of Archmage Idle's written reviews are positive against 62% of Rootflux's. Archmage Idle also leads on chart position (#108 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Archmage Idle sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Rootflux sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Archmage Idle against 4.5 for Rootflux. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 83 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Archmage Idle's written reviews are positive against 62% of Rootflux's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Archmage Idle versus Rootflux: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArchmage IdleRootflux
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (74 ratings) — better4.5 (83 ratings)
Positive reviews77.4% of reviews — better62.1% of reviews
Number of ratings7483 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#108 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size379 MB161 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTopCog LLCIdle System, Inc.

Customer experience

Archmage Idle

All ratings74 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral4.1%
Negative10.8%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive77.4%
Neutral3.8%
Negative18.9%

Rootflux

All ratings82 ratings
Positive86.6%
Neutral3.7%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews58 reviews
Positive62.1%
Neutral15.5%
Negative22.4%

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Archmage Idle

One-time9
  • Time Warp$0.99
  • VIP 1 - Apprentice Patron$2.99
  • Remove Ads + XP Boost$4.99
Show 6 more
  • VIP 2 - Adept Patron$4.99
  • Animus Augment$9.99
  • Time Warp x10$9.99
  • VIP 3 - Mage Patron$9.99
  • VIP 4 - Grandmage Patron$14.99
  • VIP 5 - Archmage Patron$19.99
3 purchases

Rootflux

One-time3
  • Ad-Free Pass$2.99
  • Dandelion$4.99
  • Spider$4.99

Questions

Is Archmage Idle free?
Archmage Idle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rootflux free?
Rootflux is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Archmage Idle or Rootflux?
Archmage Idle is rated higher. Archmage Idle averages 4.5 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while Rootflux averages 4.5 from 83 ratings.
Do Archmage Idle or Rootflux have ads?
Both Archmage Idle and Rootflux show ads.
Which is updated more often, Archmage Idle or Rootflux?
Archmage Idle ships an update every 3 days, and Rootflux every 3 days. Most recently, Archmage Idle was updated on October 31, 2026 and Rootflux on October 31, 2026.

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