# Papers, Please vs After Inc.

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Papers, Please at none against After Inc.'s 14. Papers, Please also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). After Inc.'s advantage is ratings volume (17K vs 1.2K) and price ($1.99 vs $4.99). On rating, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Papers, Please costs $4.99 and After Inc. $1.99 up front. After Inc. sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Papers, Please asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Papers, Please against 4.8 for After Inc.. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: After Inc. has 17K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Papers, Please's written reviews are positive against 89% of After Inc.'s.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Papers, Please | After Inc. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-please/id935216956/reviews) | **[4.8 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/after-inc/id1631859420/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K | **17K** |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **88.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | #10 |
| Size | 62 MB | 288 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [3909](https://appshunter.io/developer/541419307) | [Ndemic Creations](https://appshunter.io/developer/525818842) |

## What reviewers say

### Papers, Please

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-please/id935216956)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Paid · Role Playing, #30 Top Paid · Simulation, #69 Top Paid · Games, #106 Top Paid (US App Store)

Step into the shoes of a border inspector in a dystopian communist state. Examine documents, interrogate travelers, and decide who is allowed to enter. Your choices impact your family's survival and the fate of the nation.

**Highlights:** Dystopian border inspector simulation, Document examination and verification, Interrogation and decision-making, Multiple endings based on choices, Unlockable multitouch support, Game Center achievements and leaderboards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### After Inc.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/after-inc/id1631859420)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Strategy, #11 Top Paid · Simulation, #27 Top Paid · Games, #42 Top Paid (US App Store)

Rebuild civilization after a zombie apocalypse by building a settlement, exploring, and scavenging for resources. Make difficult societal decisions and defend against zombie threats in a persistent campaign.

**Highlights:** Build and expand settlements, Explore a post-apocalyptic world, Scavenge for resources, Make difficult societal decisions, Defend against zombie infestations, Research new technologies, Persistent campaign with multiple settlements

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Survival Guide | $2.99 | one-time |
| New Leaders | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cheats & Punishment | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack (big discount) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Season 2 Pass (Discount) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Critical Mass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 Pack (discount) | $6.99 | one-time |
| Beyond the Bunkers | $6.99 | one-time |
| Shadows of the Past | $6.99 | one-time |
| Season 2 Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack (discount) | $11.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 Pack (full) | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great game
- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 💡 Interesting concept and mechanics
- 👍 Offline play
- 👍 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Content locked behind paywall
- 🔒 Lack of free play mode
- 🔒 Limited number of missions
- 🐛 Scrolling issues in menus

**Reported bugs**

- Sudden zombie attacks crippling settlements
- Moral system being too punishing
- Difficulty balancing issues

**Requested features**

- Endless/sandbox mode
- More varied mission types
- Ability to customize settlement
- Improved camera controls
- More content updates and expansions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Papers, Please free?

Papers, Please costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is After Inc. free?

After Inc. costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Papers, Please or After Inc.?

After Inc. is rated higher. Papers, Please averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while After Inc. averages 4.8 from 17K ratings.

### Do Papers, Please or After Inc. have ads?

Neither Papers, Please nor After Inc. shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Papers, Please or After Inc.?

Papers, Please ships an update weekly, and After Inc. weekly. Most recently, Papers, Please was updated on October 24, 2026 and After Inc. on October 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Papers, Please or After Inc.?

Papers, Please currently peaks at #8 in the App Store charts, and After Inc. at #10. 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.*