Comparison

Mini Metro vs Metro Control

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

Head to head
About

Mini Metro

Design and manage a subway system for a growing city. Draw lines, start trains, and adapt your network as new stations open. Strategically use limited resources to keep the city moving and achieve the highest score.

Highlights
  • Design subway maps
  • Draw lines between stations
  • Manage train routes
  • Adapt to random city growth
  • Utilize limited resources
  • Over two dozen real-world cities
  • Variety of upgrades
Features
Read full description

Mini Metro, the sublime subway simulator, now on iPhone and iPad. • Included in the App Store Best of 2016 • Mac Game of the Year in over 30 countries • BAFTA-nominated • IGF award-winning • IGN Mobile Game of the Year nominee • Included in Gamespot's Best Mobile Games of 2016 Mini Metro is a game about designing a subway map for a growing city. Draw lines between stations and start your trains running. As new stations open, redraw your lines to keep them efficient. Decide where to use your limited resources. How long can you keep the city moving? • Random city growth means each game is unique. • Over two dozen of real-world cities to test your planning skills. • A variety of upgrades so you can tailor your network. • Normal mode for quick scored games, Endless to relax, or Extreme for the ultimate challenge. • Build your metro exactly how you want to with the Creative mode. • Compete against the world every day in the Daily Challenge. • Colorblind and night modes. • Responsive soundtrack created by your metro system, engineered by Disasterpeace. "If you love the city-planning aspect of Sim City but can't handle the pressure of playing god, then you may have just found your new favorite time-waster." - Ashley Feinberg, Gizmodo "Take my word for it that a game about mass-transit system design can be a tense, white-knuckle thriller." - Owen Faraday, Pocket Tactics "Mini Metro: fun game simulates planning and running public transit system." - Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

About

Metro Control

Direct trains through a metro network, rerouting them around closed lines and other trains. The challenge increases as lines become busier, testing your ability to prevent crashes. Compete with other players on GameCentre.

Highlights
  • Direct trains on closed lines
  • Reroute trains to avoid obstacles
  • Increasingly challenging gameplay
  • Compete on GameCentre
Features
Read full description

Take control of your metro network. Direct trains around closed lines to get them safely to their destinations. Starts easy but prepare for more of a challenge when the lines get busier! Trains must finish on their own coloured lines. While passing through your network they can use other coloured lines to avoid closed lines and other trains. How long can you last without causing a crash!? Download now and compete with other players on GameCentre!

Screenshots

Mini Metro4 screens
Metro Control3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Metro Control at Free against Mini Metro's $3.99. Metro Control also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). Mini Metro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement 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

Metro Control is free to download; Mini Metro costs $3.99 up front. Metro Control sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Mini Metro asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mini Metro ships an update every 2 months, Metro Control every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Mini Metro versus Metro Control: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMini MetroMetro Control
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (31K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews88.8% of reviews — better80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings31K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#14 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size179 MB57 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDinosaur Polo ClubJonathan Meikle

Customer experience

Mini Metro

All ratings31,463 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews1,509 reviews
Positive88.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative6.7%

Metro Control

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

Mini Metro

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Leaderboard issues with daily challenges
  • Crashes and compatibility problems on certain devices
  • Unexpected behavior when trains skip stations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Undo/redo functionality
  • Ability to create branching lines
  • More detailed statistics and analytics
  • Additional game modes (e.g. career, scenarios)
  • Integration with real-world transit data

Metro Control

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Mini Metro

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Metro Control

One-time3
  • Pack of 5 Credits$0.99
  • Unlock Full Version$0.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is Mini Metro free?
Mini Metro costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Metro Control free?
Metro Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Mini Metro or Metro Control have ads?
Metro Control shows ads; Mini Metro does not.
Which is updated more often, Mini Metro or Metro Control?
Mini Metro ships an update every 2 months, and Metro Control every 6 days. Most recently, Mini Metro was updated on October 15, 2026 and Metro Control on October 4, 2026.

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