The surest way to avoid in-app purchases on iPhone is a premium game: you pay once up front, and the whole game is yours. Every game on this page is checked to have no in-app purchases on the US App Store. That includes three of ours, Airport Director, Oil Director and Vineyard Director, and favourites like Game Dev Tycoon, Stardew Valley and Mini Metro.
We make the Director games, so they come first, and we say so. Everything about other studios' games comes from their App Store listings, checked on 20 October 2026. Prices are US prices.
How to check a game yourself
On any App Store page, scroll to Information. If a game sells anything inside it, you'll see an In-App Purchases row listing what's for sale. If that row isn't there, the price you pay is the only price. "Free" games almost always have in-app purchases; premium games often don't, but not always, so it's worth a look.
Our games: pay once, everything included
| Game | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Director | Real-time airport management | $2.99 |
| Oil Director | Real-time oil tycoon | $2.99 |
| Vineyard Director | Real-time wine estate tycoon | $2.99 |
| Car Factory Director | Real-time car company tycoon | Coming soon |
All of them have no in-app purchases, no ads and no subscriptions, and never need the internet. Each needs iOS 26 or later. Airport, Oil and Vineyard Director are on Android too, also with no in-app purchases.
Other premium iPhone games with no in-app purchases
| Game | Developer | Price | Type | App Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Dev Tycoon | Greenheart Games | $4.99 | Business tycoon | 4.9 (24,000+) |
| Stardew Valley | ConcernedApe | $4.99 | Farming and life sim | 4.8 (63,000+) |
| Mini Metro | Dinosaur Polo Club | $3.99 | Transit strategy | 4.9 (31,000+) |
| Game Dev Story | Kairosoft | $4.99 | Business tycoon | 4.9 (2,900+) |
| Pocket City 2 | Codebrew Games | $4.99 | City builder | 4.6 (800+) |
| Pocket City | Codebrew Games | $2.99 | City builder | 4.7 (5,100+) |
| ISLANDERS: Mobile | Coatsink | $4.99 | Island town builder | 4.5 (30+) |
| Townscaper | Raw Fury | $4.99 | Relaxing building toy | 4.5 (960+) |
- Game Dev Tycoon: run a games studio from a garage to a top publisher. Its description promises no in-app purchases or ads, and says it plays in airplane mode.
- Stardew Valley: inherit a run-down farm and make it pay. "No in-app purchases," says its listing.
- Mini Metro: design a subway map for a city that won't stop growing.
- Game Dev Story: Kairosoft's long-running pixel-art studio tycoon.
- Pocket City 2 and Pocket City: city builders with "no microtransactions". The original was last updated in 2022, so try the sequel first.
- ISLANDERS: Mobile: a calm, score-based island builder. Its description promises offline play with no ads.
- Townscaper: a goal-free toy for building island towns, not a game with a score to chase.
Watch out for "premium" games that still sell things
Paying up front doesn't always mean the game is complete. Some paid games sell expansions, cheats or currency inside:
- RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic ($5.99) sells an optional toolkit and two expansion packs.
- Kingdom Two Crowns ($6.99) sells extra campaigns and cosmetic packs.
- Rebel Inc. and Plague Inc. cost a dollar or two, then sell unlocks and expansions.
- Motorsport Manager Mobile 3 ($1.99) sells investment packs you can buy again and again.
None of these is a bad game, and expansions can be good value. But if "pay once, own everything" is what you want, check the In-App Purchases row first.
Subscriptions: no purchases inside, but a monthly fee
Apple Arcade and Netflix games have no in-app purchases or ads. Arcade includes Mini Motorways and Turmoil+, and Netflix includes Football Manager 26 Mobile and RollerCoaster Tycoon NETFLIX. They're good value if you already subscribe, but you lose them if you stop paying.
Frequently asked
Which iPhone games have no in-app purchases? Premium games like Game Dev Tycoon, Stardew Valley, Mini Metro, Pocket City 2 and our Airport, Oil and Vineyard Director. Check the In-App Purchases row on any App Store page to be sure.
Are there free iPhone games with no in-app purchases? Very few, and fewer still in the tycoon genre. Apple Arcade is the closest thing: one subscription, then no purchases inside.
Do the Director games have ads? No. None of our games has ads of any kind.