# Tiny Prison vs The Prison Simulator

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tiny Prison at 82% against The Prison Simulator's 18%. Tiny Prison also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tiny Prison sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and The Prison Simulator sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tiny Prison holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tiny Prison has 4.2K ratings behind it against 280, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Tiny Prison's written reviews are positive against 18% of The Prison Simulator's.

Tiny Prison ships an update every 3 weeks, The Prison Simulator every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tiny Prison | The Prison Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (4.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tiny-prison/id736898746/reviews)** | [4.1 (280 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-prison-simulator/id1245577011/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.2K** | 280 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 18.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 83 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 12.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Two-Bit Titans, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/736898749) | [Appscraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652334821) |

## What reviewers say

### Tiny Prison

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tiny-prison/id736898746)

Manage your own correctional facility as the Warden. Assign prisoners to jobs, construct new facilities like infirmaries and gyms, and conduct cell searches for contraband. Experience the full game with an optional one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Warden simulation, Assign prisoners to work, Build new prison floors, Search cells for contraband, Optional in-app purchases

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Opportunist | $0.99 | one-time |
| Executioner's Block | $2.99 | one-time |
| Power Player | $4.99 | one-time |
| Rock Star | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive game
- 🕹 Simple and easy to play
- 🕰 Good way to pass time
- 🎨 Unique prison theme
- 🤗 Enjoyable gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Execution block locked behind paywall
- 🔁 Repetitive and lacks new content
- 🐢 Slow progression and star earning
- 🤖 Cartoonish prisoner design
- 🤯 Crashes and bugs reported

**Reported bugs**

- Prisoners not properly assigned to cells and jobs
- Frequent crashes and performance issues
- Inconsistent save/restore functionality

**Requested features**

- Add more room types (cafeteria, yard, etc.)
- Improve prisoner AI and interactions
- Introduce more customization options
- Implement a death row or maximum security block
- Add more levels and progression content


### The Prison Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-prison-simulator/id1245577011)

Experience life as a prison warden, managing every aspect of your correctional facility. Balance inmate needs, staff, and external pressures to maintain order and prevent riots. Grow your prison from humble beginnings into a thriving, efficient institution.

**Highlights:** Build and expand prison infrastructure, Manage prison economy and resources, Maintain order and prevent riots, Balance inmate, staff, and external pressures, Hire staff and set rules, Make strategic decisions with consequences

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10000 coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 tickets | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium building | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium room | $0.99 | one-time |
| Second chance | $0.99 | one-time |
| Disable advertisement | $0.99 | one-time |
| 30000 coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 15 tickets | $1.99 | one-time |
| 22000 coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Supper Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| 40000 coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 50 tickets | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100000 coins | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging gameplay concept with prison management theme
- 🎨 Good graphics and visual design
- 🌍 Multi-language support available
- 💰 Free-to-play model with optional purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Frequent and game-breaking bugs throughout
- ⏱️ Stressful timed missions with no restart option
- ❌ Broken in-app purchase system that charges without delivering
- 🆘 Non-functional customer support and contact options

**Reported bugs**

- In-app purchases charge money but don't deliver items/currency
- Restore purchases button doesn't function
- Mission 34: Sewing workshop income cap at 60 instead of required 65
- Mission 16: Prisoner won't disappear or die as required
- Mission 20: Canteen feeding progress not registering (0/10)

**Requested features**

- Mission restart button without waiting for timer expiration
- Ability to change language in-game settings
- Auto-fill features for repetitive tasks (feeding, work assignments)
- Freedom to manage prison without strict mission constraints
- Better tutorial and on-screen guidance for new players


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tiny Prison free?

Tiny Prison is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Prison Simulator free?

The Prison Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tiny Prison or The Prison Simulator?

Tiny Prison is rated higher. Tiny Prison averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.2K ratings, while The Prison Simulator averages 4.1 from 280 ratings.

### Do Tiny Prison or The Prison Simulator have ads?

The Prison Simulator shows ads; Tiny Prison does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tiny Prison or The Prison Simulator?

Tiny Prison ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Prison Simulator every 11 days. Most recently, Tiny Prison was updated on October 1, 2026 and The Prison Simulator on October 3, 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.*