iPhone games without ads: our picks

iPhone games without ads fall into three groups: free games that earn money another way (Frutelia, Monument Valley 3), paid premium games such as Alto's Odyssey, and every Apple Arcade game, which by Apple's rule has no ads or in-app purchases. Our picks below were each checked against their App Store listing.

By Aurélien Debord, maker of Frutelia · Updated 6 November 2026

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How we picked

A game is on this list only if its own App Store listing says it has no ads, or if it is on Apple Arcade, where Apple states that games come "without ads or in-app purchases". We checked each listing on the US App Store on 6 November 2026. Games change; if one starts showing ads, tell us and we will remove it.

1. Frutelia (our game)

Full disclosure: Frutelia is made by us, so it goes first. It is a fruit-merge puzzle with real physics: drop fruits into a glass jar, merge identical ones and climb from cherry to watermelon. It is free with no ads at all: no banner, no video between games, no "watch an ad to continue". It does sell optional coin packs, used for the Upgrade and Delete power-ups, and you also earn coins by playing. It plays offline. Start with how to play.

Other iPhone games with no ads

Suika Game+ by Aladdin X Inc. Apple Arcade

The Apple Arcade edition of the original watermelon game by Aladdin X. No ads, part of the Arcade subscription.
Monument Valley 3 by ustwo games Free to start

Puzzle adventure through impossible architecture. Its listing says it is free to start with no ads; one purchase unlocks the whole game.
Alto's Odyssey by Snowman Paid app

Sandboarding through a desert with one-touch tricks. Its listing calls it a premium game with no ads or in-app purchases.
Stardew Valley+ by ConcernedApe Apple Arcade

The farming and life RPG, Apple Arcade edition. Long play sessions with no interruptions.
Subway Surfers+ by Sybo Games Apple Arcade

The famous endless runner in an Apple Arcade edition. Its listing says no ads and no purchases.
Solitaire by MobilityWare+ by MobilityWare Apple Arcade

Classic Klondike solitaire, Apple Arcade edition. A good no-ads pick for quick breaks.
Chess Premium by Optime Software Paid app

A paid chess app whose listing promises no ads and offline play with no account.
Chess for Kids by Chess.com Free

Chess lessons and games for children by Chess.com, described as an ad-free environment for kids.
Crayola Create and Play+ by Red Games Co. Apple Arcade

The official Crayola app for children: art, colouring and learning activities, on Apple Arcade.

Why free games show so many ads

A free game still has to pay its developers. There are two ways: ads or in-app purchases, and many games use both. Ads are paid by the view, so the more short sessions a game has, the more ads it can show. That is why casual puzzle games, where a round lasts a minute or two, are among the heaviest users of full-screen video ads.

Games without ads take another route: a one-time price (premium games), a subscription (Apple Arcade), or optional purchases inside an otherwise free game. None of these is free of trade-offs, but none of them interrupts your game.

How to check for ads before you install

Read the description. Games without ads usually say so, because it is a selling point.
Open "In-App Purchases" on the App Store page. A "Remove ads" item means the free version shows ads.
Check "App Privacy". Data "used to track you" usually comes with advertising.
Skim recent reviews for words like "ads" or "commercials".
Look for the Arcade badge. Apple Arcade games have no ads by rule.

Games without ads for children

Ads in children's games are a problem beyond annoyance: an ad tapped by mistake can open the App Store or a website. For a child's iPhone or iPad, the safest picks are Apple Arcade titles (no ads, no in-app purchases) and games whose listing clearly says ad-free. Frutelia has no ads, but it does offer coin packs, so turn on Ask to Buy or restrict in-app purchases in Screen Time if the device is a child's.

Looking for games for a plane or the subway? See our offline iPhone games.

Questions

Which free iPhone games have no ads?

Frutelia is free with no ads (it sells optional coin packs). Monument Valley 3 is free to start with no ads and one purchase to unlock the full game. Chess for Kids by Chess.com describes itself as ad-free. Every Apple Arcade game is also ad-free, but needs the Arcade subscription.

Why do free games have so many ads?

Because ads pay for them. A free game earns money either from ads, from in-app purchases, or both. Ads are paid per view, so games that rely on them tend to show one after every short round.

How can I tell if a game has ads before installing it?

Read the App Store description and reviews, look for a "Remove ads" item in the In-App Purchases list, and check the App Privacy section: data "used to track you" usually means ad networks are involved.

Are there games without ads for kids?

Yes. Apple Arcade games have no ads or in-app purchases by Apple rule, and include titles for children such as Crayola Create and Play+. Chess for Kids by Chess.com describes itself as an ad-free environment for kids.

Does Frutelia really have no ads?

Yes. No banners, no videos between games, no rewarded ads. Frutelia earns money from optional coin packs; coins are also earned by playing.