Best Idle Games For iOS in 2024, Ranked

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Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

Sometimes called an idle clicker or an incremental game, idle tappers are among the simplest — and therefore most addictive — apps available. Simply put, players rarely do more in the game than tap their fingers on the screen. In return, you’ll build buildings, assemble armies, or make money in factories. And sometimes, money, health scores, or even just points on the board keep accumulating, even while the app is closed!

If you’ve never tried an idle game, you’re in for a treat. We’ve compiled the fifteen best idle games for iOS, proving that the very best things really do come in simple packages. Get your tappin’ finger ready. In ascending order, here are the best idle games for iOS we reviewed. 

15/15

Money Tree 2: Tap Idle Clicker 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Requires iPadOS 10.0 or later.
• All ages
• Hire in-game celebs to help your tree grow

Ever hear that saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees”? Well, anyone who says that has clearly never played the first game on our list, Money Tree 2: Tap Idle Clicker. In this tycoon game, you start with a small seedling that dispenses only coins. You’ll grow that lil baby into a towering tree with the help of gardeners and fertilizers, among other variables. Only then will you be showered with Benjamins. 

Just wait for in-game Channel 2 news to cover your progress, and how rich you’ve become. It truly is an addictive experience. It’s a great game overall, but some players do experience issues buying the ad-free version. Some also say the game slows down too much as it goes on.

14/15

Light a Way 

• Price: Free (In-app purchases)
• Requires iOS 10.0 or later
• Paced too slow for some
• Bugs fixed

Darkness has fallen in the next idle clicker game we reviewed, Light a Way. Don’t despair, though. Instead, use the Staff of Flare to return some light to the world. Vanquish your foes with a simple tap of the wand, earn power-ups, and find magical artifacts. There are thirty “lumi” friends, each one adorable in its own right, and eighteen spell-casting specializations to choose from. There are also ninety different fairy friends to bond with so they, too, can join the fight. This recent version of Light a Way also features monthly seasonal events.

Money in the game continues to accumulate even while you’re offline, which is a nice feature. It’s also possible to upgrade your tapping power, or recruit friends to assist in your battle against the dark. Whether you play for only a moment on your commute, or spend hours tapping away, Light a Way is a wonderful, kid-friendly tapping game.

13/15

Doomsday Clicker 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Requires iOS 9.0 or later
• Mild cartoon violence, mild profanity, crude humor
• Very well thought out and put together

It’s the end of the world in the next idle clicker game we reviewed. In Doomsday Clicker, you’re in charge of rebuilding society one tap at a time. Build an underground shelter, expand it, upgrade it, and earn coins. There are also bonuses to earn and lots of surprises, and new locations and characters are frequently added. We like The Supercharger, a wheel that players spin for a productivity boost — act quickly, though, as it’s available for a limited time only. Despite the end-of-the-world themes, the little glowing characters really are quite cute. 

There’s also an engaging soundtrack, and smooshin’ all the lil critters does get addictive. If you’ve played an idle clicker game, they can all start to seem the same. That’s not the case with Doomsday Clicker. In a clever twist on the formula, players earn money quickly, and there’s always something new to look forward to. 

12/15

Realm Grinder 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Mild cartoon violence
• Requires iOS 9.0 or later
• New Valentine feature added

Taking the tapper formula to the genre of fantasy, Realm Grinder mixes RPG elements with an idle clicker game. Align with the elves and earn treasure. Go for the demons and earn bonuses. There are also tons of achievements to earn and fresh content to unlock. With the money you earn, your property can grow from a single solitary farm to an entire kingdom with trophies to collect and wealth to be earned even when you’re offline. Which faction you align yourself with is an important part of the strategy. 

This is an innovative and well-constructed game with a classic feel and captivating visuals. Some players call it the best idle clicker game they’ve ever played. There’s also a nice, unofficial wiki to reference. You’ll get more productive and efficient the longer you play.

11/15

Cookie Clickers 2

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• No offline tapping feature
• All ages
• New boosts available

Simple in concept, Cookie Clickers 2 is the next idle tapper game in our ranking. How do you play? Just like the name of the game suggests, tapping equals cookies, and the more you tap, the more you bake — up to a quadrillion! Those cookies can then be used to purchase PowerUps, with Golden Cookie Rain and milk waves helping you boost productivity. Along the way you can level up, track progress on the Cookieland map, and rank on the global leaderboard. 

Another nice function is inviting your friends to bake with you for even better results. Or instead, compete with your friends to see who’s the fastest baker of them all. Best of all, there are no actual cookies to tempt you to cheat on your diet! Fans particularly like the cookie-cooking grandmas, automatic cookie tapping bots, and cookie farms that are available to purchase. 

10/15

Tap Tycoon — Country vs Country

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• All ages
• Some learning curve
• Frustrating random resets reported

Up the stakes on the typical endless tapping game with Tap Tycoon — Country vs Country, from the developers of Tap Titans. In this incremental game, you’ll play to make your country dominant, creating money for a multi-industry conglomerate with imaginative technology like anti-gravity forks, luggage shrink rays, and so on. On a weekly basis, the most powerful and productive businesses earn medals and other kinds of rewards. 

Other things players like about Tap Tycoon — Country vs Country are the gems and tech cards that can be earned with no additional money spent. There are no character “skins” available, which would be a nice feature, but the animation is fluid and fun, and building your business sets the game apart from other idle games for iOS. 

9/15

Clicker Heroes 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• More than 1000 zones
• Clan-based boss raids
• Infrequent mild fantasy violence

Clicker Heroes is the next idle game for iOS in our ranking. This classic game of the genre blends elements of RPG with an idle clicker, in which players put together a party of heroes with their own character at the center of it all. The objective of the game is to level up your party to fight monsters and gain abilities, among other rewards that include gold and treasure. It’s all so simple — tapping on the screen is pretty much all that’s required to get the job done. 

What’s otherwise new in this updated classic are clans and multiplayer battling. There are also now game center leaderboards and achievements with multi-language support. Most notably, though, is the new villain to fight — the “Immortals.” All in all, this is a great clicker game that’s really quite addictive.

8/15

Bitcoin Billionaire 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Requires iOS 10.0 or later.
• Ages 12+, mild adult content
• Charming and addictive

You’ve heard of cryptocurrency. Now try your hand mining it in Bitcoin Billionaire, a game in which the faster you tap, the more Bitcoin you earn. With a time travel element, players invest in new technology while their  fortune grows, and investments continue to gain value even while players are offline. Otherwise, your character can be customized to reflect your personal style. In-game, you can spend your virtual crypto on art, a brand-new entertainment center, or some other new items just waiting to be unlocked.

Fans of this well-reviewed game call it immense amounts of fun, with a great sense of progression in the early and middle stages. The graphics are simple, with extensive customization options, and clever writing. The pop culture references alone make it worthwhile. The game does get a little overly reliant on ad-boosts later on, though.

7/15

Taps to Riches 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Requires iOS 10.0 or later 
• All ages
• Fun and quick to learn

The next idle game for iOS we reviewed, Taps to Riches, is also all about getting rich. The more you tap, the more you earn, and the more you can upgrade your town as it grows into a city. The objective is to amass the most wealth to win. Along the way, expand beyond just one city, listen to advisers as they guide your progress, or risk everything with a Bizbot (one wrong move and your fortune resets, and you’ll start all over again). There are loads of other bonuses and achievements to unlock.

Overall, this game is addictive, with lots of bizbots, bonuses, and unlockable islands to keep things interesting. It’s listed as a strategy game, which is a little misleading — there’s not much to do other than tap your way to building upgrades, among other rewards. Nevertheless, the game is a lot of fun, even if it can be a bit glitchy at times.

6/15

Idle Factory Tycoon: Business!

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• No internet connection needed
• All ages
• Tons of potential 

In Idle Factory Tycoon: Business, it’s all about workstations. Set them up in all your different factories, boost production, earn extra cash — it’s really as simple as that, and all without much more than just tapping. Idle cash earned can be invested in other businesses, which can be used to hire managers and win trophies. Types of products your factory can produce include cars and airplanes, among other options, and up to twenty different workstations can be managed at each location. Factories continue running even while you’re offline.

The managers are an especially popular update, we learned, and otherwise, the game is really fun. Many bugs from previous versions have been fixed, and Super Cash helps you sell your products for a better price. Idle cash can also be invested, boosting income. A truly engaging game to play, based on feedback.

5/15

Tap Titans 2 — Hero Legends 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Designed for iPad
• Rebalanced enemy bonuses
• All ages

Breaking the top five in our ranking of the best idle games for iOS is an update on one of the best-reviewed and most-downloaded idle RPGs of all time, Tap Titans. In Tap Titans 2, the objective is beating the Titan Lords. You’ll do this with upgradeable weapons and gear, collectible pets, and multiplayer clan raids to get in on the action. By the end of it all, you just might become the ultimate sword master. 

Updates in Tap Titans 2 include the full-game experience while you’re offline, earning prestige and cash as you progress, and a whole host of new Titans to defeat. Multiplayer clan raids are also popular. This game is addictive and a great way to pass the time. It’s overall very well done, with lots of thought put into everything.

4/15

Idle Construction 3D 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Subscription offers unlimited wheel spins
• 17+
• New power ups available

Moving away from fantasy RPGs, the next game in our list is Idle Construction 3D. In this Green Panda Games product, you’re a construction manager graduating from small houses to some of the tallest buildings imaginable. You’ll work on such structures as the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, and the Taj Mahal, among others. You can hire workers to help, train your team for better productivity, collect free cash and gems, and even learn some fun trivia about these real-world architectural marvels. 

Other popular new features include the ability to decorate your buildings, and a wheel you can spin for special rewards. An ad-free, fee-based subscription is also available. Otherwise, ads can get a little intrusive in this overall well-made game. Unrestricted internet access is required. Constructing the Sydney Opera House is the ultimate accomplishment, we found out.

3/15

AdVenture Capitalist 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• All ages
• Requires iOS 10.0 or later.
• Attract angel investors

Coming in at number three our list, AdVenture Capitalist is one of the best reviewed and most popular games in the genre. Like the name suggests, the objective of this idle tapper is to make as much money as possible, as you become the CEO of a multi-million dollar generating corporation, hire to maximize returns, and make strategic investments to grow your fortune even further. And just like many of the real world’s most successful businessmen these days, space travel is also a market to break into. 

What we like in particular are the limited time events, and the shop where more gold can be purchased, as well as time warps and managers specially trained for specific objectives. This game is absolutely amazing and easy to play, but not without challenge. The ability to travel to an entire new planet to start your business is an especially popular feature.

2/15

AFK Arena 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Newly optimized visual effects
• Multi-team battles
• Very immersive play experience

Coming in second in our ranking of the best idle games is AFK Arena, an idle tapper RPG offering more than a hundred heroes to choose from, equip, and take into battle against the evil Hypogeans before they conquer the realm of the Esperia. There’s also a PVP Arena mode where you can battle other players. The game just keeps going until you log off, continuing to level up characters and complete other functions even while you’re away. In this version, there’s a new hero to test play — Ezizh, Lord of Nightmare, and a new “time rewind” function that can be used twice per playthrough. 

Fans of this incredibly popular and well-reviewed idle app for iOS enjoy the game mechanics. The longer you wait, the more resources you collect. The subscription version is also worthwhile, based on feedback. The stories and artwork are incredible, and there’s a lot of nice lore inserted throughout.

1/15

Idle Miner Tycoon 

• Price: Free (in-app purchases)
• Automate workflow
• 12+
• Infrequent profanity/crude humor

And the number one best idle game for iOS in our ranking is Idle Miner Tycoon. In the game, the objective is to build your mining business. Players also hire managers, automate workflow, and profit from smart investments, while they earn idle cash even while they’re offline. In total, there are twenty mines available, and fifteen different resources, including coal, gold, rubies, and moonstones. In this latest incredibly popular and well-reviewed version of the game, there are fewer gems required to hire a Super Manager, and progress can be boosted with Super Cash.

Fans of the game call it the best idle app available. It’s fun and addictive, assets are easily upgraded without spending a penny. You continue to earn money even while the app is closed and hiring managers is the key to success. 

Join the High Ground

That’s it for our list of the best idle games for iOS in 2022 — thanks for reading! If you have any other games you’d like to suggest, leave them in the comments below. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more rankings like this!

Happy gaming!