# SimCity BuildIt vs RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic

The clearest difference is price: SimCity BuildIt at Free against RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic's $5.99. SimCity BuildIt also leads on ratings volume (88K vs 3.3K). RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (66% vs 50%). On rating, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

SimCity BuildIt is free to download; RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic costs $5.99 up front. SimCity BuildIt sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic 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 — 4.1 for SimCity BuildIt against 4.2 for RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimCity BuildIt has 88K ratings behind it against 3.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of SimCity BuildIt's written reviews are positive against 66% of RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic's.

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimCity BuildIt | RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [4.1 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simcity-buildit/id913292932/reviews) | **[4.2 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rollercoaster-tycoon-classic/id1113736426/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 3.3K |
| Positive reviews | 49.7% of reviews | **66.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #68 | **#36** |
| Size | 350 MB | 374 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Electronic Arts](https://appshunter.io/developer/284800461) | [Atari](https://appshunter.io/developer/291286181) |

## What reviewers say

### SimCity BuildIt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simcity-buildit/id913292932)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Grossing · Simulation, #70 Top Free · Strategy, #76 Top Grossing · Strategy, #187 Top Free · Simulation (US App Store)

Design and build a bustling city metropolis, managing resources, citizen happiness, and urban challenges like traffic and pollution. Trade with other players, compete in city wars, and unlock unique landmarks and regional styles to create your dream city.

**Highlights:** Design and build city metropolis, Manage citizen happiness and services, Solve urban challenges like traffic, Trade with other players, Compete in Club Wars and contests, Unlock landmarks and regional styles, Build and customize train networks

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Daily SimCash | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pocketful of SimCash 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Vu Pass Level I | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pocketful of SimCash | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Vu Pass Level II | $5.99 | one-time |
| Premium Mayor's Pass + | $8.99 | one-time |
| Little Stack of SimCash | $9.99 | one-time |
| Nice Pile of SimCash | $19.99 | one-time |
| Briefcase of SimCash | $34.99 | one-time |
| Big Sack of SimCash | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Great game
- 🌇 Beautiful graphics
- 🕹️ Enjoyable gameplay
- 🤝 Supportive club community
- 🕰️ Relaxing and not too demanding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Slow progression without paying
- 🔍 Difficult to find needed items
- 🤖 Aggressive monetization tactics
- 🤯 Frustrating club war mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Cars phasing through trains
- Inconsistent traffic patterns
- Disappearing delivery trucks
- Frequent crashes and connection issues

**Requested features**

- Add city layout editor
- Allow raising/lowering train tracks
- Improve free-to-play experience
- Introduce search function for trade depot
- Add option to disable construction bubbles


### RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rollercoaster-tycoon-classic/id1113736426)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Paid · Strategy, #38 Top Paid · Simulation, #95 Top Paid · Games, #158 Top Paid (US App Store)

Build and manage your dream theme park with this classic simulation game. Design incredible roller coasters, create diverse rides, and manage finances and staff to keep guests happy and the park profitable. Enjoy hundreds of content options and challenging scenarios.

**Highlights:** Combine best features from RCT 1 & 2, Design and build roller coasters, Create diverse rides and attractions, Manage park finances and staff, Customize park scenery and landscaping, Progress through classic park scenarios

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Expansion Pack - Wacky Worlds | $1.99 | one-time |
| Expansion Pack - Time Twister | $1.99 | one-time |
| Toolkit: Edit, Design and Share | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful to the original PC game
- 👍 Intuitive touch controls
- 💡 Includes both RCT1 and RCT2 content
- 🎢 Brings back childhood memories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Small UI elements on smaller screens
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for additional content
- 🚫 Unable to set park admission fees

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to delete or modify certain ride elements
- Mechanic staff getting stuck or not functioning properly
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

**Requested features**

- Sandbox mode with unlimited customization
- Ability to sync progress across devices
- Improved graphics and visual fidelity
- Support for more languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimCity BuildIt free?

SimCity BuildIt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic free?

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SimCity BuildIt or RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic?

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic is rated higher. SimCity BuildIt averages 4.1 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic averages 4.2 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do SimCity BuildIt or RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic have ads?

SimCity BuildIt shows ads; RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic does not.

### Which is updated more often, SimCity BuildIt or RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic?

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic fortnightly. Most recently, SimCity BuildIt was updated on November 3, 2026 and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic on November 3, 2026.

### Which is more popular, SimCity BuildIt or RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic?

SimCity BuildIt currently peaks at #68 in the App Store charts, and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Classic at #36. 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.*