# Dev Idle vs Drill Baron

The clearest difference is ads: Dev Idle at none against Drill Baron's shown. Drill Baron's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dev Idle sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Drill Baron sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Dev Idle against 5.0 for Drill Baron. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly daily. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dev Idle | Drill Baron |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dev-idle-programmer-clicker/id6804491739/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drill-baron/id6823361384/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Daily | Daily |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [David Petrina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504156742) | [TreeSolid Systems GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/6817805463) |

## What reviewers say

### Dev Idle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dev-idle-programmer-clicker/id6804491739)

Tap to code and build your developer empire, from simple copy-pasting to advanced quantum compilation. Ship versions to earn reputation, unlock permanent upgrades, and eventually IPO for massive boosts. Enjoy an idle game experience with offline earnings and no ads.

**Highlights:** Tap to write code, Hire automated developers, Ship versions for reputation, Permanent upgrades via Lab, IPO for massive progress boosts, Offline earnings with reports, Live Activity for App Review countdown

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dev Idle Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Hotfix — 100 Tickets | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sprint Pass Premium Track | $2.99 | one-time |
| Monthly Card — 40 a Day | $3.99 | one-time |
| Overtime | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sprint — 600 Tickets | $4.99 | one-time |
| Release — 1,400 Tickets | $9.99 | one-time |
| Major Version — 3,200 Tickets | $19.99 | one-time |
| Enterprise — 9,000 Tickets | $49.99 | one-time |


### Drill Baron

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drill-baron/id6823361384)

Pilot a drill pod deep underground to mine ore, gems, and treasures. Sell your findings, upgrade your equipment, and explore seven unique worlds with their own dangers. Build your base, manage miner bots, and participate in seasonal events for rewards.

**Highlights:** One-finger drill pod control, Sell ore and gems at trade post, Upgrade drill, cargo, and other parts, Explore seven distinct worlds, Build and upgrade base structures, Miner bots dig while you're away, Participate in seasonal events

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remaining Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remaining Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remaining Pack | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dev Idle free?

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

### Is Drill Baron free?

Drill Baron is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dev Idle or Drill Baron?

Dev Idle and Drill Baron are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Dev Idle or Drill Baron have ads?

Drill Baron shows ads; Dev Idle does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dev Idle or Drill Baron?

Dev Idle ships an update daily, and Drill Baron daily. Most recently, Dev Idle was updated on October 31, 2026 and Drill Baron on November 1, 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.*