# SimCity BuildIt vs Build Up!!

The clearest difference is rating: Build Up!! at 4.5 against SimCity BuildIt's 4.1. SimCity BuildIt's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 34%) and chart position (#52 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, 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 Build Up!! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Build Up!! holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimCity BuildIt has 88K ratings behind it against 16K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of SimCity BuildIt's written reviews are positive against 34% of Build Up!!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, Build Up!! fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimCity BuildIt | Build Up!! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (88K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simcity-buildit/id913292932/reviews) | **[4.5 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-up/id1453032346/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **88K** | 16K |
| Positive reviews | **49.5% of reviews** | 34.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#52** | — |
| Size | 350 MB | 266 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Electronic Arts](https://appshunter.io/developer/284800461) | [Voodoo](https://appshunter.io/developer/714804730) |

## What reviewers say

### SimCity BuildIt

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

**Currently charting:** #52 Top Grossing · Simulation, #66 Top Grossing · Strategy, #77 Top Free · Strategy, #173 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


### Build Up!!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/build-up/id1453032346)

Construct your tower as tall as possible by strategically placing building nodes. Collect more nodes as you ascend to reach crucial checkpoints and achieve new heights.

**Highlights:** Build structures high, Gather building nodes, Reach checkpoints, Ascend to new heights

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads. | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and fun game
- 🚀 Runs well with no crashes
- 💰 Free to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Impossible or buggy levels
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Rivet counter malfunction
- Levels regenerating incorrectly
- Tower physics issues

**Requested features**

- More level variety
- Ability to create custom maps
- Removal of perfect triangle requirement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimCity BuildIt free?

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

### Is Build Up!! free?

Build Up!! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SimCity BuildIt or Build Up!!?

Build Up!! is rated higher. SimCity BuildIt averages 4.1 out of 5 from 88K ratings, while Build Up!! averages 4.5 from 16K ratings.

### Do SimCity BuildIt or Build Up!! have ads?

Both SimCity BuildIt and Build Up!! show ads.

### Which is updated more often, SimCity BuildIt or Build Up!!?

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, and Build Up!! fortnightly. Most recently, SimCity BuildIt was updated on October 31, 2026 and Build Up!! on October 31, 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.*