# SimCity BuildIt vs RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™

The clearest difference is rating: RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ at 4.5 against SimCity BuildIt's 4.1. RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 49%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). SimCity BuildIt's advantage is chart position (#59 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimCity BuildIt sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86K and 86K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of SimCity BuildIt's written reviews are positive against 75% of RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™'s.

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ every 5 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimCity BuildIt | RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (86K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simcity-buildit/id913292932/reviews) | **[4.5 (86K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rollercoaster-tycoon-touch/id1164507836/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 86K | **86K** |
| Positive reviews | 49.2% of reviews | **75.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#59** | — |
| Size | 345 MB | 1.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| 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:** #59 Top Grossing · Simulation, #69 Top Free · Strategy, #83 Top Grossing · Strategy, #150 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® Touch™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rollercoaster-tycoon-touch/id1164507836)

Build and manage your dream theme park, from designing thrilling roller coasters to customizing every detail. Expand your park, attract more visitors, and compete in fun challenges.

**Highlights:** Design custom roller coasters, Collect and customize attractions, Manage park operations, Upgrade rides and buildings, Participate in time-based challenges, Visit and trade with friends

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Subscription (1 month) | $5.99 | per month |
| Some Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Some Tickets | $1.99 | one-time |
| Portfolio of Cards | $1.99 | one-time |
| Level Up Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Handful of Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Utility Cards | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pack of Coins | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 💡 Unique card-based progression system
- 👍 Nostalgic for fans of the original Rollercoaster Tycoon
- 👍 Visually appealing graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases required for progression
- 🤔 Repetitive card rewards
- 🤔 Limited park space and land expansion options
- 🤔 Janitor and maintenance system could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Park progress and purchases disappearing after updates
- Inability to access main park after visiting a friend's park
- Ads not loading or crashing the game
- Incorrect rewards from card packs and casino spins

**Requested features**

- Ability to name your park
- More land expansion options
- Improved coaster building tools
- Ability to customize park interiors
- First-person ride mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimCity BuildIt free?

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

### Is RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ free?

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ is rated higher. SimCity BuildIt averages 4.1 out of 5 from 86K ratings, while RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ averages 4.5 from 86K ratings.

### Do SimCity BuildIt or RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ have ads?

Both SimCity BuildIt and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ show ads.

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

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ every 5 days. Most recently, SimCity BuildIt was updated on September 24, 2026 and RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ on September 24, 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.*