# Mini Metro vs Papers, Please

The clearest difference is update cadence: Papers, Please at weekly against Mini Metro's every 2 months. Papers, Please also leads on chart position (#5 vs #17) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Mini Metro's advantage is ratings volume (32K vs 1.2K) and review sentiment (89% vs 80%). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Mini Metro costs $3.99 and Papers, Please $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Mini Metro against 4.7 for Papers, Please. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mini Metro has 32K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Mini Metro's written reviews are positive against 80% of Papers, Please's.

Mini Metro ships an update every 2 months, Papers, Please weekly. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mini Metro | Papers, Please |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (32K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-metro/id837860959/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-please/id935216956/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **32K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | **88.8% of reviews** | 79.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #17 | **#5** |
| Size | 191 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Dinosaur Polo Club](https://appshunter.io/developer/1119391227) | [3909](https://appshunter.io/developer/541419307) |

## What reviewers say

### Mini Metro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-metro/id837860959)

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Paid · Strategy, #18 Top Paid · Simulation, #42 Top Paid · Games, #64 Top Paid (US App Store)

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:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and relaxing gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful minimalist design
- ⏱️ Addictive and time-killing
- 🌐 Wide variety of cities to play
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Trains skipping stations
- 🤯 Overwhelming difficulty at times
- 🔍 Lack of clear instructions
- 🔀 Difficulty removing/rerouting lines
- 🕰️ No ability to save progress

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Papers, Please

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-please/id935216956)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Role Playing, #24 Top Paid · Simulation, #51 Top Paid · Games, #78 Top Paid (US App Store)

Step into the shoes of a border inspector in a dystopian communist state. Examine documents, interrogate travelers, and decide who is allowed to enter. Your choices impact your family's survival and the fate of the nation.

**Highlights:** Dystopian border inspector simulation, Document examination and verification, Interrogation and decision-making, Multiple endings based on choices, Unlockable multitouch support, Game Center achievements and leaderboards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mini Metro free?

Mini Metro costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Papers, Please free?

Papers, Please costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mini Metro or Papers, Please?

Mini Metro is rated higher. Mini Metro averages 4.9 out of 5 from 32K ratings, while Papers, Please averages 4.7 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Mini Metro or Papers, Please have ads?

Neither Mini Metro nor Papers, Please shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mini Metro or Papers, Please?

Mini Metro ships an update every 2 months, and Papers, Please weekly. Most recently, Mini Metro was updated on October 22, 2026 and Papers, Please on October 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Mini Metro or Papers, Please?

Mini Metro currently peaks at #17 in the App Store charts, and Papers, Please at #5. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*