# SimCity BuildIt vs Outlanders

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Outlanders at none against SimCity BuildIt's 11. Outlanders also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (66% vs 49%). SimCity BuildIt's advantage is ratings volume (86K vs 4.3K) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimCity BuildIt sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Outlanders asks for nothing beyond the download.

Outlanders holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimCity BuildIt has 86K ratings behind it against 4.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of SimCity BuildIt's written reviews are positive against 66% of Outlanders's.

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, Outlanders every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimCity BuildIt | Outlanders |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (86K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simcity-buildit/id913292932/reviews) | **[4.3 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outlanders/id1463407936/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **86K** | 4.3K |
| Positive reviews | 49.2% of reviews | **66.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#65** | — |
| Size | 345 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Electronic Arts](https://appshunter.io/developer/284800461) | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) |

## What reviewers say

### SimCity BuildIt

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

**Currently charting:** #65 Top Grossing · Simulation, #73 Top Free · Strategy, #83 Top Grossing · Strategy, #159 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


### Outlanders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outlanders/id1463407936)

Guide a group of people to build a thriving town, balancing resources and follower happiness. Make tough decisions to overcome unique challenges in distinct levels. Enjoy a charming simulation with light storytelling and a satisfying audio-visual style.

**Highlights:** Town-building simulation, Resource management, Follower happiness, Level-based challenges, Decree system, Building selection

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Charming and relaxing gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and aesthetics
- 🕰️ Addictive and engaging experience
- 🧠 Challenging and strategic
- 🕰️ Suitable for both short and long play sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🕰️ Slow progression and limited content
- 🤔 Unclear instructions and lack of guidance
- 🧠 Difficulty balancing resources and managing population

**Reported bugs**

- Followers not going to the bonfire or pub as required
- Stockpiles not functioning properly
- Population growth capping at around 200 followers
- Followers not collecting or delivering resources efficiently

**Requested features**

- Expand sandbox mode with more customization options
- Add more building types and production chains
- Introduce animals, transportation, and other new gameplay elements
- Improve pathfinding and resource management AI
- Allow for more population growth and expansion


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimCity BuildIt free?

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

### Is Outlanders free?

Outlanders is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SimCity BuildIt or Outlanders?

Outlanders is rated higher. SimCity BuildIt averages 4.1 out of 5 from 86K ratings, while Outlanders averages 4.3 from 4.3K ratings.

### Do SimCity BuildIt or Outlanders have ads?

SimCity BuildIt shows ads; Outlanders does not.

### Which is updated more often, SimCity BuildIt or Outlanders?

SimCity BuildIt ships an update every 3 weeks, and Outlanders every 2 months. Most recently, SimCity BuildIt was updated on September 25, 2026 and Outlanders on September 22, 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.*