# Hack Ex vs The Lonely Hacker

The clearest difference is price: Hack Ex at Free against The Lonely Hacker's $0.99. Hack Ex also leads on ratings volume (2.5K vs 21) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). The Lonely Hacker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Hack Ex is free to download; The Lonely Hacker costs $0.99 up front. Hack Ex sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. The Lonely Hacker asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hack Ex holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hack Ex has 2.5K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Hack Ex's written reviews are positive against 78% of The Lonely Hacker's.

Hack Ex ships an update every 3 months, The Lonely Hacker every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hack Ex | The Lonely Hacker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hack-ex/id927697384/reviews)** | [4.3 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-lonely-hacker/id1633242696/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **81.5% of reviews** | 78.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 24 MB | 604 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CNC Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1263197795) | [Sabin Trupsor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632697420) |

## What reviewers say

### Hack Ex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hack-ex/id927697384)

Engage in a virtual hacking simulation game where you adopt an alias to hack other players' devices and defend your own. Build your reputation by cracking virtual bank accounts, deploying viruses for income, and manipulating digital logs. Remember to erase your tracks to truly master the art of virtual hacking.

**Highlights:** Virtual hacking simulation, Hack and defend player devices, Crack virtual bank accounts, Deploy viruses for income, Manipulate digital logs, Upgrade virtual devices and utilities

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 200 Overclocks | $0.99 | one-time |
| 6000 Cryptocoins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Generate New IP | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Cryptocoins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1100 Overclocks | $4.99 | one-time |
| 16000 Cryptocoins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 34000 Cryptocoins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2400 Overclocks | $9.99 | one-time |
| 72000 Cryptocoins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Overclocks | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Fun and addictive
- 🔒 Realistic hacking simulation
- 💡 Unique concept
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- ⏱️ Extremely long processing times
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Microtransactions feel necessary

**Reported bugs**

- Ads not working properly to reduce processing times
- Inconsistent display of processing progress
- Crashes and login issues
- Inability to delete accounts or change email

**Requested features**

- More network and device upgrades
- Ability to team up with friends
- Different types of viruses and malware
- Leaderboards and social features
- Ability to pay or threaten other players


### The Lonely Hacker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-lonely-hacker/id1633242696)

Explore a vast open world and engage in realistic hacking simulations. Learn various cybercrime methods and attack vectors using exclusive tools. This game offers a unique adventure with mini-games to keep you entertained.

**Highlights:** Realistic hacking software and hardware, Big open world with real countries, Learn hacking methods and attack vectors, Customized and different adventures, Mini-games included

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hack Ex free?

Hack Ex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Lonely Hacker free?

The Lonely Hacker costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hack Ex or The Lonely Hacker?

Hack Ex is rated higher. Hack Ex averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while The Lonely Hacker averages 4.3 from 21 ratings.

### Do Hack Ex or The Lonely Hacker have ads?

Neither Hack Ex nor The Lonely Hacker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hack Ex or The Lonely Hacker?

Hack Ex ships an update every 3 months, and The Lonely Hacker every 2 months. Most recently, Hack Ex was updated on September 22, 2026 and The Lonely Hacker on September 21, 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.*