Idle games like RuneScape, ranked for 2026.
RuneScape is not an idle game by genre, but the way most players skill (start an action, check back later) is functionally idle. These seven dedicated idle games and idle MMOs capture the same loop, ranked from closest successor to the wider RS-flavored cluster, and compared head to head. Honest picks, with a disclosure on #1.
Want RuneScape's interlocking skills without the time sink? Melvor Idle is the closest and deepest, and Idle Clans adds multiplayer; on Android those two are the strongest native picks. But nearly every option here is an always-online MMO. If you want one that runs fully offline on your iPhone, with no server and no account, Tideward (ours) is the pick. All seven are compared and ranked below.
On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac? Tideward, our offline-native pick on this list, is free in TestFlight alpha right now, no account or ads.
Get the free alphaHow the 7 compare at a glance
The dividing line in this genre is online versus offline. Most RuneScape-like idlers are always-online MMOs; a couple run fully on your device. Filter by what matters to you.
| # | Game | Platforms | Offline | Price | Multiplayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tidewardours | iPhone + 5 more | 24h on-device | Free alpha, $9.99 | Solo |
| 2 | Old School RuneScape | iOS, Android, PC | Online only | Free + $14/mo | MMO |
| 3 | Melvor Idle | iOS, Android, Steam, Web | 24h on-device | $9.99 + DLC | Solo |
| 4 | Idle Clans | iOS, Android, Steam, Web | Server-synced | Free + shop | Clans |
| 5 | Idlescape | Web, Steam | Tab-close sim | Free + perks | MMO economy |
| 6 | Milky Way Idle | Web, Steam (EA) | Online sim | Free + IAP | Market |
| 7 | IdleMMO | iOS, Android, Web | Server-synced | Free + shop | MMO |
Tip: tap Plays offline to see the two that run with no connection. Game facts last verified June 2026; page updated July 2026.
Is there an official RuneScape idle game?
Not any more. Jagex shipped its own idle RuneScape in 2016, RuneScape: Idle Adventures, and discontinued it. Nothing has replaced it, so there is no official RuneScape idle game to download today. The closest official-adjacent answer is Melvor Idle, the fan-made idle RPG built on RuneScape's skill grid that became the genre standard, and which Jagex went on to publish under a 2021 partnership. The sequel is self-published with no Jagex involvement; our Melvor Idle 2 release date tracker follows it. Everything else on this page is an independent take on the same loop, ours included.
AFK games like RuneScape: what actually keeps running
"AFK" means two different things in this genre, and the difference decides which of these seven will suit you.
AFK inside a live world. Old School RuneScape, Idle Clans, Idlescape, Milky Way Idle, and IdleMMO keep your character working while you look away, but only while the session and the connection hold. Close the tab or lose signal on a train and progress either stops or falls back to whatever the server simulates on your behalf. That is how RuneScape itself has always worked: set a fishing spot or a Nightmare Zone run going, come back later, stay logged in throughout.
AFK with the app shut. Tideward and Melvor Idle bank the time instead. Quit entirely, come back tomorrow, and the game plays out the hours you were gone. Tideward computes that window on your own device, up to 24 hours at the full rate, with no server and no account, so a flight or a dead zone costs you nothing. The full offline math is here.
If AFK to you means the phone is in your pocket and the app is closed, only two entries here qualify. If it means a tab open on the second monitor, all seven do.
How this list was built
Three filters: a RuneScape-style skill grid, where multiple skills level independently rather than one power bar; AFK-friendly progression, so the game makes sense to leave running; and currently playable in 2026, not "alpha coming soon." Games rank roughly by closeness to the RuneScape and Melvor lineage. Tideward is #1 on a narrow axis disclosed on its card; Melvor is deeper and Idle Clans is multiplayer, and we say so.
- #1
Tideward
Apple-native, runs offlineBuilt deliberately in the RuneScape-idle lineage: 24 trades across combat, gathering, artisan, and wayfaring clusters, with full 24-hour offline progression computed on-device. The wedge on this list: nearly every other option is an always-online MMO, while Tideward runs natively on every Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro, Apple Watch) with no server and no account. No ads, no tracking, single $9.99 unlock at launch.
Tideward on Mac. The same build runs native on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro, and Apple Watch. Pros- Runs fully offline, on-device, no connection needed
- Six Apple platforms from one purchase
- No ads, no tracking, no third-party SDKs
- Skill mapping (Forging, Pilfering, Vigil) traces straight to RuneScape
Cons- Apple ecosystem only
- Solo only: no clans or shared economy
- Alpha now; launches Feb 11, 2027
Where to play: TestFlight alpha → App Store, Feb 11, 2027Disclosure: we publish Tideward, and this list. It is first on a narrow axis: the genre lineage is real (RuneScape to Melvor to Tideward), and it is the only pick here that runs fully offline and native across all six Apple platforms. Melvor is deeper and Idle Clans is multiplayer, as noted. The rest are honest picks.
- #2
Old School RuneScape
The reference itselfOSRS runs on iOS and Android and supports a lot of AFK-friendly training (cooking, fishing, agility loops, Nightmare Zone). It is not an idle game by genre, but the way most players engage with skilling, start an action and check back later, is functionally identical.
Pros- Two decades of content depth
- Native iOS and Android app
- Genuinely active dev cycle, weekly updates
- Free-to-play tier exists
Cons- Membership for the full game (about $14/mo)
- Always-online; account required
- Not built for true idle; it expects clicks
Where to play: iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, SteamVisit oldschool.runescape.com - #3
Melvor Idle
The direct RS-idle adaptationThe first big-hit idle game built explicitly on RuneScape's skill grid, and now published by Jagex (RuneScape's own studio). Same multi-skill structure, same long-haul feel, simplified to pure idle, and it banks a full 24 hours offline. Melvor Idle 2 is in alpha with a 2026 Early Access target; Melvor 1 is what to play now.
Pros- Deep skill tree, a thousand-plus hours
- $9.99 one-time unlock, no ads
- Native iOS, Android, Steam, plus browser
- Banks a full 24 hours offline, on-device
Cons- No iCloud sync across your Apple devices
- Browser-flavored UI on mobile
- Full library needs paid DLC
Where to play: iOS, Android, Steam, browserVisit melvoridle.com - #4
Idle Clans
Multiplayer RuneScape-idleTakes the RuneScape-idle pattern and adds clans, a shared marketplace, and group progression. Trades Melvor's solo-meditative calm for a living, cooperative world. The closest match if you want other people in the loop.
Pros- Active clans and shared economy
- Native iOS and Android, plus Steam and web
- Free with a cosmetic shop
Cons- Always-online: account required, needs a connection
- IAP for cosmetics and supporter perks
- Less calm than the solo standard
Where to play: iOS, Android, Steam, browserVisit idleclans.com - #5
Idlescape
Deep browser idle-MMOA long-running browser idle-MMORPG with RuneScape-flavored skills, combat, and the deepest player-driven economy in this cluster. The systems run deep; the interface shows its age next to newer entries.
Pros- Deepest economy and market here
- In active development since 2018
- Free with optional supporter perks
Cons- Browser-first, so a weaker mobile experience
- Always-online; account required
- UI feels dated
Where to play: Browser (idlescape.com), SteamVisit idlescape.com - #6
Milky Way Idle
Sci-fi RuneScape-idleA sci-fi reskin of the RuneScape-idle pattern: mining asteroids instead of rocks, fighting aliens, crafting through station modules, with a live player market. Mechanically one of the truest analogs to Melvor; thematically distinct.
Pros- Tight combat math
- A real player-driven economy
- Free with optional purchases
Cons- No native Apple app (browser or Steam)
- Always-online
- Early Access; reviews have cooled on balance
Where to play: Browser (milkywayidle.com), SteamVisit milkywayidle.com - #7
IdleMMO
Browser MMO with idle hooksA browser-based MMO built around idle and AFK skill loops, more social than Melvor and lighter than Idle Clans. It now has native iOS and Android apps, not just the web client.
Pros- Free to play
- Now has native iOS and Android apps
- Active, welcoming community
Cons- Always-online: account required
- Less mechanical depth than Idlescape
Where to play: iOS, Android, browserVisit idle-mmo.com
Want the RuneScape skill grind on your iPhone, offline? Tideward is the on-device, native pick here, free in TestFlight alpha.
Get the free alpha No account · no ads · no tracking · runs offline on all six Apple devicesMobile and Android: which of these run on a phone
Four of the seven ship native phone apps on both stores: Old School RuneScape, Melvor Idle, Idle Clans, and IdleMMO. Those are the honest answers when people search for mobile games like RuneScape or Android games like RuneScape. The prices differ more than the apps do: Old School RuneScape has a free-to-play tier with membership for the full game, Melvor Idle is a $9.99 one-time unlock, and Idle Clans and IdleMMO are free with cosmetic shops.
Idlescape and Milky Way Idle are browser or Steam only. They run on a phone, but you are playing a website that was drawn for a desktop.
Tideward is the exception here, and it is worth saying plainly: it is Apple-only. iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro, and Apple Watch from one purchase, written in SwiftUI so it runs native on all six, with no Android build and none planned. If you carry an Android phone, start with Melvor Idle for depth or Idle Clans for company. We would rather point you somewhere useful than sell you a device you do not own.
Which one should you play?
- You want the closest, deepest RS-idle today: Melvor Idle.
- You want it offline and native on your iPhone: Tideward.
- You want clans, a shared market, other people: Idle Clans or IdleMMO.
- You want the deepest browser economy: Idlescape.
- You want actual RuneScape, AFK-style: Old School RuneScape itself.
- You want something free in a browser tab right now: Freehold, our homestead-automation idler, lives in the Manu Arcade with 100+ other free browser games. No ads, no installs, no accounts.
Still deciding? Take the 30-second quiz and we'll point you to your best fit.
RuneScape skill map: Tideward's 24 trades
Tideward's trades carry direct lineage from RuneScape skills. Where the design diverged, the legacy name is in parentheses:
- Forging from Smithing
- Mining and Quarry from Mining (split into ore and bulk stone)
- Pilfering from Thieving
- Kindling from Firemaking
- Vigil from Prayer
- Apothecary from Herblore
- Inscription from Runecraft
- Binding from Slayer (the target-binding loop)
- Cooking, Fishing, Farming, and Woodcutting keep their names and their RuneScape roots
The combat cluster (Attack, Strength, Defense, Ranged, Magic, Vitality) follows RuneScape's structure directly. See all 24 trades →
Related comparisons
- Melvor Idle 2: release date and everything we know, the public-source tracker on the RuneScape-idle sequel and when it lands.
- Melvor Idle 2 vs Melvor Idle, the difference-by-difference breakdown for sequel-curious players.
- 12 games like Melvor Idle, ranked by closeness to the RuneScape-idle pattern Melvor pioneered, with a full comparison table.
- 7 best idle RPGs for iPhone, ranked by overall recommendation for iPhone players regardless of RS lineage.
- How 24-hour offline progression works, the on-device model that sets Tideward and Melvor apart from the always-online MMOs here.
Frequently asked questions
Is RuneScape itself an idle game?
Not by genre. RuneScape is an MMORPG with active combat and quests. But the way most players engage with skilling (AFK fishing, cooking, agility, Nightmare Zone) is functionally idle: you start an action and check back later. The dedicated idle games on this list turn that AFK loop into the whole game.
What is the closest idle game to OSRS in 2026?
Melvor Idle, which was built on RuneScape's skill grid and is now published by Jagex. On Apple devices specifically, Tideward is the closest spiritual successor: it carries the RuneScape skill DNA (Forging maps to Smithing, Pilfering to Thieving, Kindling to Firemaking, Vigil to Prayer) and ships native on every Apple platform. Idle Clans is the closest match if you want multiplayer.
Whatever happened to RuneScape: Idle Adventures?
It was Jagex's own official idle RuneScape, released in 2016, and it was discontinued. There is no official idle RuneScape today. Jagex now publishes Melvor Idle, the fan-made idle RPG that became the genre standard, which is the closest official-adjacent answer.
Which of these run offline, with no connection?
Only Tideward and Melvor Idle run fully on-device and bank progress offline. Old School RuneScape, Idle Clans, Idlescape, Milky Way Idle, and IdleMMO are all always-online and need a connection to play. If offline play on a commute or a flight matters to you, that narrows the list to two.
Are there idle games like RuneScape on Android?
Yes. Old School RuneScape, Melvor Idle, Idle Clans, and IdleMMO all ship native Android apps alongside their iOS ones. Idlescape and Milky Way Idle are browser or Steam only, so on a phone you are playing them through a mobile browser. Tideward, ours, is the one exception on this list: it is Apple-only by design, with no Android build and none planned. On Android, take Melvor Idle for depth or Idle Clans for multiplayer.
Is there a free idle game like RuneScape I can start today?
Several. Idle Clans, IdleMMO, Idlescape, and Milky Way Idle are free to play, with cosmetic shops or supporter perks. Old School RuneScape has a free-to-play tier, with membership (about $14 a month) for the full game. Melvor Idle is a $9.99 one-time unlock with no ads. Tideward is free in TestFlight alpha right now and becomes a single $9.99 unlock at launch, with no ads ever.
Which RuneScape-idle game runs on Apple Watch?
Of the games here, Tideward is the only one with a native Apple Watch build. The others are either browser-first or ship only phone, tablet, and desktop apps. If watch play matters, that is the honest answer.
Will Melvor Idle 2 come to mobile or Apple devices?
Eventually, but not first. Melvor Idle 2 launches into Steam Early Access in 2026 (no firm date as of June 2026), with iOS, Android, and web coming after Early Access, not alongside it. The June 2026 dev update added 12 new skills and the full combat system but still gave no dated ETA. If you are on Apple and want a RuneScape-style idle RPG to play right now, Tideward (ours) is native on every Apple device and free in TestFlight alpha. See our full <a href="/melvor-idle-2/">Melvor Idle 2 release date tracker</a> for details.
Want the RuneScape grind, native and offline? Become a Founding Tester.
Tideward is the closest you will get to a RuneScape-shaped idle game built native for Apple, and it runs with no connection. The alpha is open now: one email locks in free access on all six Apple devices, a permanent founder badge, first crack at every build, a vote on the roadmap, and your name in the credits at launch.
Free in TestFlight · Discord-first · no account, no ads, no tracking