# Lab Tycoon vs Idle App Studio

The clearest difference is device support: Idle App Studio at 3 against Lab Tycoon's 1. Idle App Studio also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lab Tycoon sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Idle App Studio sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lab Tycoon ships an update fortnightly, Idle App Studio every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lab Tycoon | Idle App Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lab-tycoon-ai-startup-sim/id6787330715/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 12 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brandon Kessinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896209938) | [DIMITRI DAVID](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844898418) |

## What reviewers say

### Lab Tycoon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lab-tycoon-ai-startup-sim/id6787330715)

Build an AI startup from humble beginnings to a sprawling campus. Train models, manage resources, and navigate the volatile AI industry through strategic decisions and unexpected events. Experience idle progress and the thrill of raising funding rounds.

**Highlights:** Train and ship AI models, Grow lab from garage to campus, Manage GPU compute resources, Experience random AI industry events, Idle progress while away, Start new games with a head start

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emergency Runway | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Founders' Wing | $4.99 | one-time |
| Founder Pack | $9.99 | one-time |


### Idle App Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-app-studio-dev-game/id6788320331)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nuit blanche de code | $0.99 | one-time |
| Café XXL | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lab Tycoon free?

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

### Is Idle App Studio free?

Idle App Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Lab Tycoon or Idle App Studio have ads?

Neither Lab Tycoon nor Idle App Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lab Tycoon or Idle App Studio?

Lab Tycoon ships an update fortnightly, and Idle App Studio every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lab Tycoon was updated on October 31, 2026 and Idle App Studio on November 7, 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.*