Price, ads, purchases, platform, access
Free Mobile Games: What You Can Play Without Paying
"Free" on an app store can mean five different things. This page takes ten mobile games and writes down, for each one, what you get for nothing, what shows ads, what costs money, and where the answer changes between Android and iPhone.
The short answer
If you want a mobile game you can keep playing for years without paying and without ads, start with open-source and donation-funded projects: Lichess (chess, iOS and Android), Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection (Android) and Unciv (Android). They have no ads and nothing to buy.
Most big commercial "free" games are free-to-play: the download and the core game cost nothing, but the game is paid for through optional in-app purchases. Some games are free on Android but a paid download on iPhone, and some "free" games are only free once you already pay for a subscription.
Five kinds of "free" you will meet
- Fully freeNo price, no ads, nothing to buy. Usually funded by donations or volunteers.
- Free with optional supportThe full game is free; a purchase or donation adds cosmetic extras or simply supports the developer.
- Free-to-playFree download and core game, with in-app purchases for items, passes, currency or content.
- Free with adsFree to use, paid for by advertising. Often a paid membership or purchase removes the ads.
- Included in a subscriptionNo extra charge and no ads inside the game, but only while a paid subscription is active.
A sixth pattern cuts across all five: the same game can sit in a different category on each platform. Two of the picks below are free on Android and a paid download on iOS.
How we picked
Every game on this page had to meet four conditions on 21 September 2026:
- Currently available on at least one official mobile store (Google Play, Apple App Store or F-Droid), checked on the official site or store listing.
- A clearly documented cost model. We only state price, ad and purchase details that the developer, publisher or official store listing states. Where an official source is silent, we say so instead of guessing.
- Playable long-term at zero cost in at least one form, or, in one case, at zero extra cost on top of a subscription many people already have.
- Together, the picks cover every kind of free listed above, so you can compare models, not just titles.
We have not run hands-on tests of other studios' games. Everything below is based on official information and public documentation. We rank nothing by quality or fun; that is a question of play style and taste, not of cost.
Ten games and what free means for each
Ordered from "nothing to pay, ever" to "free only under conditions".
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Lichess
Chess. Open-source, run by volunteers and funded by donations. iOS and Android.
- Price
- Free on both stores
- Ads
- None "No ads, no tracking" per the official app page
- Purchases
- None every feature is free; funded by donations
- Access
- Online play needs internet; puzzles and computer opponents also work offline
Suits: anyone who wants a complete chess app with online games, puzzles and analysis and never wants to see a paywall.
Limits: nothing is locked, but it is chess only. Paying (a voluntary patron donation) changes nothing about what you can play.
-
Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection
About 40 single-player logic puzzles. Open-source Android port. Android (Google Play and F-Droid).
- Price
- Free
- Ads
- None F-Droid lists no anti-features
- Purchases
- None
- Access
- Fully offline, no account
Suits: short puzzle breaks on a commute, on a plane or anywhere without signal.
Limits: the port covered here is Android only. There is no multiplayer and no progression system; it is a puzzle box, not a campaign.
Official Android port source and Google Play link · F-Droid listing
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Unciv
Turn-based 4X strategy, an open-source remake inspired by Civilization V. Android (Google Play and F-Droid), plus desktop.
- Price
- Free
- Ads
- None free with no ads, per the project
- Purchases
- None
- Access
- Single player offline; multiplayer and mod downloads use the network
Suits: strategy players who want long campaigns on a phone without energy timers or shops.
Limits: no iOS version. Presentation is deliberately simple compared with commercial 4X games.
-
Shattered Pixel Dungeon
Turn-based roguelike dungeon crawler by the independent studio Shattered Pixel. Android, iOS, desktop.
- Price
- Free on Android · Paid on iOS ($4.99 in the US store at our check)
- Ads
- None
- Purchases
- Optional on Android, a supporter purchase unlocks cosmetic extras only
- Access
- Offline, no account
Suits: players who like hard, replayable runs and want the whole game without a shop in the way.
Limits: free only on Android. On iPhone you pay once up front. The supporter extras (such as renaming heroes and items) do not affect gameplay.
Developer's page describing the free and supporter versions · App Store listing (paid)
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Mindustry
Factory-building with tower defense and real-time strategy. Open-source independent project. Android, iOS, desktop.
- Price
- Free on Android · Paid on iOS ($1.99 in the US store at our check)
- Ads
- None F-Droid lists no anti-features
- Purchases
- None listed
- Access
- Campaign offline; co-op and PvP multiplayer online
Suits: builders who enjoy optimising production chains during long sessions.
Limits: the iPhone version is a paid download. Dense controls on a small screen.
-
The Battle of Polytopia
Turn-based civilization strategy by Midjiwan AB. iOS, Android, desktop, Switch.
- Price
- Free download on mobile
- Ads
- None "a game that is free from ads", per the official support page
- Purchases
- Optional extra tribes, $0.99 to $1.99 each on the US App Store at our check
- Access
- Playable offline; iOS and Android progress are separate identities
Suits: quick strategy matches that fit into a coffee break, solo or against friends.
Limits: only a starting set of tribes is free on mobile; the rest are bought one by one. The developer states purchases give no competitive advantage and are kept forever.
Official Polytopia support page on ads and purchases · Official Polytopia site
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Pokémon GO
Location-based creature collecting, published by Scopely Explore with The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, Creatures and GAME FREAK. iOS and Android.
- Price
- Free
- Ads
- Not stated the official site does not address ads
- Purchases
- Optional "Basic gameplay is available at no cost. (Optional in-game purchases available.)"
- Access
- Needs an account, internet and location services; played by moving outdoors
Suits: people who want a reason to walk more and are happy to play at their own pace.
Limits: the official wording is "basic gameplay" at no cost. Items and extras sit behind optional purchases, and progress is designed around regular outdoor play.
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Brawl Stars
Fast team-based multiplayer battles by Supercell. iOS and Android.
- Price
- Free
- Ads
- Not stated in the official store description
- Purchases
- Yes items for real money "(including random items)"; passes and gem bundles, $0.99 to $19.99 on the US App Store at our check
- Access
- Always online
Suits: players who want short competitive rounds with friends and do not mind a store in the menu.
Limits: the shop includes randomized items and paid passes. Parents should read the store listing's purchase section before handing it to a child.
Official Brawl Stars page by Supercell · App Store listing with purchase list
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Chess.com
Chess play and lessons by Chess.com, LLC. iOS and Android.
- Price
- Free download and free account
- Ads
- Yes for free accounts; "Premium members enjoy Chess.com without ads"
- Purchases
- Subscription Gold, Platinum and Diamond memberships
- Access
- Account and internet for online play
Suits: players who want a very large online chess community and are fine with ads, or plan to subscribe.
Limits: the free tier is ad-supported and limits lessons, game reviews and puzzles; going ad-free means a recurring membership.
-
Netflix Games
A rotating catalog of mobile games included with a Netflix membership. iOS and Android.
- Price
- Included no extra charge, but a paid Netflix membership is required
- Ads
- None "No ads", and on ad-supported plans "Ads are not currently shown on games"
- Purchases
- None "No in-app purchases"
- Access
- Netflix account and profile; internet to download
Suits: households that already pay for Netflix and want clean, shop-free games at no extra cost.
Limits: not free on its own: cancel the membership and the games stop. The catalog changes, so a game you like can leave.
Netflix Help Center: playing games on mobile · Netflix Help Center: ads on Netflix
Side by side
| Game | Android | iOS | Ads | What costs money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lichess | Free | Free | None | Nothing (donations optional) |
| Simon Tatham's Puzzles | Free | Not covered here | None | Nothing |
| Unciv | Free | Not available | None | Nothing |
| Shattered Pixel Dungeon | Free | Paid | None | Cosmetic supporter extras (Android); the iOS download |
| Mindustry | Free | Paid | None | The iOS download |
| The Battle of Polytopia | Free | Free | None | Extra tribes |
| Pokémon GO | Free | Free | Not stated | Optional in-game items |
| Brawl Stars | Free | Free | Not stated | Items (some random), passes, gems |
| Chess.com | Free | Free | Yes (free tier) | Memberships, which also remove ads |
| Netflix Games | With membership | With membership | None | The Netflix membership itself |
Why the platform changes the price
Two independent developers on this list, Shattered Pixel and the Mindustry project, give their game away on Android and charge a one-time price on the App Store. The game is the same; the business model is not. Before you recommend a "free" game to a friend, check which phone they use.
F-Droid, the open-source Android store, is a useful signal. It marks apps that contain advertising or tracking with an "anti-features" label. Lichess, Unciv, Mindustry, Shattered Pixel Dungeon and the puzzle collection are all distributed there.
Access: what else "free" can require
An account
Lichess, Chess.com, Pokémon GO and Netflix Games tie your progress to an account. The offline puzzle collection, Unciv and Shattered Pixel Dungeon need none.
A connection
Location-based and competitive games need to be online. If you want something for flights or patchy signal, favour games that state offline play: the puzzle collection, Unciv, Shattered Pixel Dungeon, Polytopia and the offline modes of Lichess.
A subscription you already pay
Netflix Games is the clearest case: no ads and no purchases inside the games, but only while the membership runs. That is good value if you already subscribe, and no value if you do not.
If ads are the thing you want to avoid, our deeper guide lists which mobile games are ad-free and exactly which part of each is ad-free.
Questions people ask
Is any big-name mobile game completely free?
Rarely. Large commercial games are almost always free-to-play, paid for by in-app purchases, ads or both. The fully free games on this page are open-source or donation-funded projects.
Does "free-to-play" mean I can finish the game for free?
Usually you can keep playing, but the store listing will tell you what is sold: items, currency, passes, extra content or random items. Pokémon GO, for example, describes "basic gameplay" as free with optional in-game purchases.
Why is a game free on Android but paid on iPhone?
It is the developer's choice. Shattered Pixel Dungeon and Mindustry both do this. Check the listing on your own store before assuming a price.
Are prices on this page the same in my country?
No. Prices quoted here come from the US App Store on 21 September 2026 and vary by region and over time. The model (free, paid, subscription) is what matters; the exact figure is shown in your store.
Do you earn money from these links?
No. All links go to official sites or store listings, not affiliate programs. We are the developer of MapRaiders, which is why that game appears only in a separate, labelled box.
Sources
Checked: 21 September 2026
- Lichess mobile app page and Lichess about page
- Simon Tatham's Puzzles, Android port repository and F-Droid listing
- Unciv repository and F-Droid listing
- Shattered Pixel Dungeon developer page and App Store listing
- Mindustry official site, F-Droid listing and App Store listing
- Polytopia support page and App Store listing
- Pokémon GO official site
- Brawl Stars official page and App Store listing
- Chess.com membership page and App Store listing
- Netflix Help Center: games on mobile and Netflix Help Center: ads on Netflix