Best Empire Builder Apps & Games

229+ iOS apps & games curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps & games
Updated July 2026

Finding the right empire builder apps and games can be overwhelming with so many options. We've analyzed 229+ apps and games to bring you the best choices for 2026, from free options to premium solutions with advanced features.

Compare top Empire Builder Apps & Games (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Designer City: Empire EditionDesigner City: Empire EditionFree4.9★ (902)YesYesJul 2026
2Rise of Castles: Fire and WarRise of Castles: Fire and WarFree4.2★ (20K)YesYesAug 2026
3Forge of Empires: Build a CityForge of Empires: Build a CityFree4.6★ (168K)YesYesAug 2026
4Merge EmpireMerge EmpireFree4.6★ (3.7K)NoYesAug 2026
5States Builder: Trade EmpireStates Builder: Trade EmpireFree4.6★ (23K)YesYesAug 2026
6Rise of KingdomsRise of KingdomsFree4.5★ (187K)NoYesAug 2026
7EmpireBuilderEmpireBuilderFreeNoYesMay 2026
8Run An EmpireRun An EmpireFree4.5★ (3.5K)YesYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Empire Builder

Designer City: Empire Edition#1

Designer City: Empire Edition by Sphere Game Studios Ltd

Design and build your empire
Editor's Choice
🎮 Games
4.9😊(902 ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Designer City: Empire Edition screenshot 1
Designer City: Empire Edition screenshot 2
Designer City: Empire Edition screenshot 3
Designer City: Empire Edition screenshot 4
Designer City: Empire Edition screenshot 5
Designer City: Empire Edition screenshot 6

Design and build a historic town that grows into a sprawling empire across diverse ancient civilizations. This free offline city-builder lets you create your ideal metropolis without wait times, managing resources and citizen happiness.

What We Love

  • 👍 Great game
  • 🚀 Addictive gameplay
  • 💡 Constant building additions
  • 👍 Easy to play

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buildings disappearing
  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS 15
Rise of Castles: Fire and War#2

Rise of Castles: Fire and War by LONG TECH NETWORK LIMITED

Build your own powerful castle
Strong Contender
🎮 Games
4.2😞(20K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#47in Games
Rise of Castles: Fire and War screenshot 1
Rise of Castles: Fire and War screenshot 2
Rise of Castles: Fire and War screenshot 3
Rise of Castles: Fire and War screenshot 4
Rise of Castles: Fire and War screenshot 5
Rise of Castles: Fire and War screenshot 6

Engage in real-time, nation-vs-nation medieval warfare. Rebuild your devastated town, train troops, recruit heroes, and forge alliances to conquer the world. The choice to befriend or plunder is yours in this massive multiplayer strategy game.

What We Love

  • 🌐 Engaging global community
  • 📚 Depth of gameplay and strategy
  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics
  • 👥 Supportive alliance system

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Heavily pay-to-win model
  • ⏱️ Slow progression for free players
  • 🔄 Repetitive grind and gameplay loop
Forge of Empires: Build a City#3

Forge of Empires: Build a City by InnoGames

Civilization building game
Worth Considering
🎮 Games
4.6😐(168K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Forge of Empires: Build a City screenshot 1
Forge of Empires: Build a City screenshot 2
Forge of Empires: Build a City screenshot 3
Forge of Empires: Build a City screenshot 4
Forge of Empires: Build a City screenshot 5
Forge of Empires: Build a City screenshot 6

Build and evolve your city from the Stone Age through modern times and beyond. Develop new technologies, produce goods, and trade with neighbors. Conquer territories through negotiation or battle in this award-winning strategy game.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Enjoyable gameplay
  • 🌐 Engaging social features
  • 🏆 Sense of progression
  • 👍 Cooperative community

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Excessive in-app purchases
  • 🕰️ Slow progression without spending
  • 🔄 Repetitive gameplay loop

More Empire Builder apps to explore

4
Merge Empire
Merge Empire
Merge Empire
Idle Crowd Builder Clicker
Free

Build and expand a vast empire by merging workers to invent new crafts and progress through different historical eras. Conquer new worlds, from oceans to modern cities, and become a ruler of an overcrowded domain. Enjoy idle gameplay with passive income and engaging challenges.

Merge and invent new craftsProgress through different erasConquer new worlds and enemies
🎮 Games
(3.7K)
freemium
5
States Builder: Trade Empire
States Builder: Trade Empire
States Builder: Trade Empire
Discover Unique Resources
Free

Develop a global civilization by managing supply chains and processing resources. Log, mine, and craft materials to earn coins, upgrade facilities, and expand your empire across continents. This idle world-building simulator offers strategic challenges and satisfying progression.

Resource logging and processingSupply chain managementFacility upgrades
🎮 Games
(23K)
free with in-app purchases
6
Rise of Kingdoms
Rise of Kingdoms
Rise of Kingdoms
Top Civilization Strategy Game
Free

Lead one of 14 historical civilizations, including the newly added Greeks, in real-time strategy battles. Explore a seamless world map, manage resources, and forge alliances to conquer your enemies. Develop your empire from a lone clan to an unstoppable force.

14 Unique CivilizationsReal-Time BattlesSeamless World Map
🎮 Games
(187K)
free with in-app purchases
7
EmpireBuilder
EmpireBuilder
EmpireBuilder
Build Orders & Strategies
Free
🔧 Utilities
(0)
8
Run An Empire
Run An Empire
Run An Empire
Explore, Build, Conquer
Free

Turn your real-world movements into a game of conquest. Capture locations, collect resources, and build an empire from ancient times to the Space Age. Compete with others, track your progress, and customize your empire.

Capture real-world locationsBuild and expand your empireTrack activity with GPS
🎮 Games
(3.5K)
free with in-app purchases
9
Empire City: Civilization Dawn
Empire City: Civilization Dawn
Empire City: Civilization Dawn
Build a town! Rise of medieval
Free

Build and manage your own ancient empire. Develop cities, extract resources, forge unique cultures, and engage in trade and diplomacy with other civilizations. Create magnificent structures and expand your territory to become a legendary ruler.

Build new citiesDevelop resource extractionCreate unique cultures
🎮 Games
(1.4K)
free with in-app purchases
10
Age of Conquest IV
Age of Conquest IV
Age of Conquest IV
Strategy Game
Free

Engage in turn-based grand strategy warfare across ancient and medieval nations. Command armies, manage your empire's economy and diplomacy, and forge alliances to conquer the world. Play solo against challenging AI or compete with friends in cross-platform multiplayer battles.

Turn-based grand strategy gameplayHistorical maps and nationsChallenging AI for single player
🎮 Games
(3.5K)
free with in-app purchases
11
DomiNations
DomiNations
DomiNations
Empire builder & battle game
Free

Build a thriving empire from ancient times to the modern era. Command armies, research technologies, and engage in real-time strategy battles against other players. Conquer the world through warfare and strategic development.

Build and upgrade your empire through historical agesCommand armies in real-time strategy battlesResearch new technologies and unlock advanced weaponry
🎮 Games
(39K)
free with in-app purchases
12
SimCity BuildIt
SimCity BuildIt
SimCity BuildIt
Build your extraordinary city.
Free

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.

Design and build city metropolisManage citizen happiness and servicesSolve urban challenges like traffic
🎮 Games
(84K)
free with in-app purchases
13
Tap Nations
Tap Nations
Tap Nations
Simple: Tap and conquer!
Free

Engage in a casual real-time strategy game where you tap to attack or defend countries. Utilize power-ups like nukes and missiles, then go idle as your upgrades work for you. Conquer territories, earn cash, and expand your domination.

Rapid tapping for attack/defenseIdle progression with power-upsNukes and missiles
🎮 Games
(6.6K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Hades' Star
Hades' Star
Hades' Star
Build a mighty space empire
Free

Build and expand a space empire in a persistent, evolving galaxy. Colonize planets, research technology, command fleets, and engage in diplomacy and warfare with millions of players. Participate in cooperative and competitive missions to gather resources and dominate the cosmos.

Colonize and develop planetsResearch advanced technologyBuild and customize starship fleets
🎮 Games
(2.9K)
free with in-app purchases
15
Designer City: Medieval Empire
Designer City: Medieval Empire
Designer City: Medieval Empire
Design and build your kingdom
Free

Design and build a medieval fantasy kingdom in this free-to-play city-building game. Shape your realm from the ground up with a vast array of buildings and strategic placement. Enjoy a casual, stress-free experience with no resource gathering or wait times.

Design and build medieval kingdomVisually stunning medieval landscapeStrategic city planning
🎮 Games
(575)
free with in-app purchases
16
Townsmen - Medieval Strategy
Townsmen - Medieval Strategy
Townsmen - Medieval Strategy
Medieval city-builder
Free

Build a medieval empire from a small village, managing resources, economy, and happy citizens. Defend your town from bandits and overcome natural disasters. Enjoy a detailed city-building simulation with optional military elements.

Medieval city-buildingComplex economy simulationResource management
🎮 Games
(1.3K)
free with in-app purchases
17
Age of Myth Genesis
Age of Myth Genesis
Age of Myth Genesis
Empire builder & Strategy game
Free

Build and expand your city in this real-time strategy game set in ancient Rome. Recruit diverse soldiers, research technologies, and forge alliances to conquer enemies and seize the throne. Engage in global battles with players worldwide.

City development and resource collectionRecruit and train over 40 soldier typesResearch technologies for enhancements
🎮 Games
(884)
free with in-app purchases
18
Heroes of History: Epic Empire
Heroes of History: Epic Empire
Heroes of History: Epic Empire
Build, battle, command & win!
Free

Build a city through different historical eras, collect powerful heroes, and engage in strategic battles. Explore ancient cultures, manage resources, and uncover mysteries in a challenging PvE campaign or competitive PvP.

Hero CollectionCity BuildingAncient Cultures
🎮 Games
(14K)
free with in-app purchases
19
Rise of Cultures: Kingdom game
Rise of Cultures: Kingdom game
Rise of Cultures: Kingdom game
Build a City, Discover History
Free

Build and expand cities across diverse historical civilizations. Research technologies, engage in strategic battles, explore new territories, and trade goods to strengthen your empire. Experience mankind's history through gameplay.

Build multiple cities with different civilizationsUnlock diverse culturesResearch new technologies
🎮 Games
(21K)
free with in-app purchases
20
Empire Online (Classic MMO) HD
Empire Online (Classic MMO) HD
Empire Online (Classic MMO) HD
by HONGKONG LAMBDA TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
Free

Embark on an epic fantasy adventure in this classic turn-based MMORPG. Explore a vast world, battle legendary monsters, complete over 1000 missions, and build powerful empires with friends. Enjoy deep character customization and player-driven trading.

Classic turn-based combatVast fantasy world explorationOver 1000 epic missions
🎮 Games
(239)
free with in-app purchases

FAQ about Empire Builder

What are the best empire builder apps & games for iPhone?
Designer City: Empire Edition tops our empire builder apps & games ranking as of July 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 902 App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top empire builder apps & games we rank are free to download, including Designer City: Empire Edition and Rise of Castles: Fire and War.
Designer City: Empire Edition shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 229+ empire builder apps & games on the iOS App Store as of July 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Designer City: Empire Edition is a free-to-play offline city-building and empire simulation game. It allows players to design and construct a historic town that evolves into a thriving metropolis and an expansive empire across various ancient civilizations.
Yes, the game is designed to be played offline, meaning no internet connection is required to enjoy building your empire. You have complete autonomy to design and construct your town without any online restrictions.

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