10+ Best Idle Games to Play in 2024: Passively Playing

The best idle games let you check in once in a while to earn rewards and upgrades. Instead of putting your situational awareness or decision-making speed to the test, they serve as a breather with fewer player inputs. Idle games come in all shapes and sizes these days, from city-builders to RPGs and farming sims.

They tend to crossover with the best cozy games a fair bit, letting you relax as in-game characters get work done. Read on for our strongest picks for the best idle games in 2024.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. 10 Best Idle Games to Play in 2024
2. More of the Best Idle Games to Play in 2024
3. The Bottom Line
4. FAQs
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. 10 Best Idle Games to Play in 2024
2. More of the Best Idle Games to Play in 2024
3. The Bottom Line
Show Full Guide
4. FAQs
5. References

10 Best Idle Games to Play in 2024

Here are our top suggestions for the best idle games on PC and smartphones. They cover a wide range of genres and playstyles. Most of them are free, letting you get a taste of the experience before you commit to their gameplay loops.

10. Realm Grinder

Realm Grinder is one of the more elaborate suggestions on this best idle games list, with a progression system that lets you grow your humble farm into a sprawling kingdom. Build alliances with different factions to get unique playstyle bonuses. As you progress, you’ll get to construct unique buildings and cast new spells.

Systems like reincarnations and excavations mean you’ll spend a fair bit of time developing your settlement in Realm Grinder. It also features a unique achievement system that rewards achievement hunters with upgrades that make a difference. Designing layouts alone can keep you engaged while your buildings work in the background. It’s a good choice if you’re into city-builders that don’t constantly keep you on your toes.

9. Raid: Shadow Legends

Who hasn’t heard of Raid: Shadow Legends? While its advertisements have slowed down in recent years, the game remains a compelling collection RPG with an absurd variety of champions to recruit. It presents a massive campaign that rivals the best idle RPG games, complete with voiced dialogue and dungeon bosses. Clan Bosses can be fought with other players to earn more rewards.

You can deck heroes out in unique gear and train them via unique skill trees to enhance their effectiveness in combat. While battles are automated, your build can mean the difference between victory and defeat. As your heroes gain experience, you’ll be able to kit them out with support abilities and new skills. A dedicated PvP Arena lets you fight human players for special gear and a spot on the leaderboards. It’s a strong package for players who want a stress-free RPG experience.

8. Cookie Clicker

The title gives away the core theme of the game: clicking on a huge cookie. While that might sound like a chore, you earn cookies, which can then be spent to earn more cookies with each tap. Upgrades range from helpful grandmas to massive factories that contribute to your cookie count in the background. With hundreds of upgrades to work towards, there’s a lot of content in a game that’s about clicking a cookie. It’s among the best browser idle games available today.

One look at Steam will tell you that there are players who have logged 1000+ hours into this game. Some thank the game for inspiring them to bake real cookies. Cookie Clicker is a fun game that ticks away in the background. It can get pretty engrossing, so remember to step back and let the game play itself once in a while.

7. AFK Arena

As one of the best idle gacha games on smartphones, AFK Arena brings in gacha mechanics for its heroes. Combat is resolved in an auto-chess format that encourages new strategies by understanding key mechanics. If adapting to new metas with unique team compositions is your thing, you’ll love AFK Arena. You can earn rewards even when you’re away, letting you unlock more heroes and progress further.

Fortunately, there are no pay-to-win mechanics, and the game doesn’t fight tooth and nail for your time. Considering that gacha games tend to rely on insane time investments or microtransactions, it’s nice to see AFK Arena lean toward idle game mechanics. While the game rewards decision-making, it’s easier to keep up with its progression systems compared to gacha rivals. It’s easily one of the best idle games on Android.

6. Almost A Hero

Unlike most RPGs, Almost A Hero starts with a party of villagers who aren’t particularly special. Their classes are determined by the professions they worked in while they weren’t protecting their village. As they take down threats, your characters will gain experience and learn abilities closer to the ones actual heroes possess. Upgrade their equipment and use trinkets to gain an edge in battle. It’s one of the best free idle games, as it doesn’t taunt you with microtransactions at every opportunity.

You’ll also gain access to Artifacts to enhance your heroes further. And like the other idle games on this list, you can let them do their own thing and return to grab some rewards. But if you want something more involved, hop into one of Almost A Hero’s game modes, like seasonal content and timed challenges.

5. Forest Island

Forest Island slows things down with its focus on a gentle expansion of natural habitats. Find 100+ animals across regions like forests, meadows, and coastlines. As you enter new regions, you’ll encounter new animals that can be photographed in unique poses. New animals grant resources that let you unlock more biomes.

While the ads can get in the way of restoring your mental health, they’re usually optional and can be skipped. With over five million players, it’s a popular idle game that features subtle commentary on climate change and animal extinction. Your habitats will earn resources even when you’re away from the game, letting you progress in one of the best mobile idle games once you hop back in.

4. Egg, Inc.

Eggs, Inc. is an idle clicker that relies on growing your egg farm. In addition to customizing your chickens with fancy hats, you get to handle eggs that perform miracles that range from curing a cold to powering a rocket ship. Soul eggs and eggs of prophecy are upgraded with golden eggs that can either be earned in-game or purchased with real money.

Random gifts let you progress swiftly as you invest in research to get larger facilities and higher egg-laying rates. The game also includes a Call of Duty-like “prestige” mechanic that lets you reset progress while retaining specific bonuses. It’s a clever spin on the usual tycoon sim, and its automation helps it stand out from the best idle games on iOS.

3. AdVenture Capitalist

Considering the state of the economy right now, becoming a virtual millionaire is a rather tempting proposition. In AdVenture Capitalist, you invest in businesses that earn money for you. Like most rich people, you’ll see a trickle of money enter your bank account as passive income.

Hire managers to keep tabs on these businesses and turn your lemonade stand into a space-faring conglomerate. Even when you’re offline, you’ll be earning bags of cash that can be used for new investments. While it does involve the occasional decision, you’re bound to earn unimaginable amounts of cash regardless of what route you take. It’s among the best idle games on PC that sit at the low price of free.

2. Idle Slayer

In Idle Slayer, you play as a monster hunter who can either be controlled or left alone to earn coins for upgrades. While it relies on player input more than the other games on this list, it makes up for it with compelling gameplay mechanics. You’ll run into new systems like the divinity system, deep ascendant tree, and weapon upgrades over time.

The ascension system, in particular, keeps the gameplay loop fresh as it lets you reset your progress to earn permanent buffs. The nature of minigames you run into changes constantly as well, keeping the game engaging. It’s among the best idle clicker games that can be played at your own pace.

1. Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector

With over 40 varieties of cats to collect, Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector tasks you with finding rare cats that roam about in your neighborhood. To get more cats into your Catbook, you’ll need to place snacks and all manner of playthings to attract them. As you grow your cat collection, your pets will return with resources that can be used to make more items.

Collecting cats is a theme that appears often in the idle game scene, and with good reason. Meeting new kitties and understanding their personalities makes for a great pastime activity. Your cats will earn resources even when you’re away from the game, letting you return and start cranking out upgrades. Its adorable theme and simplicity make it one of the best idle games of all time.

More of the Best Idle Games to Play in 2024

The Bottom Line

The best idle games are great options for low-commitment players who want to relax as the characters in-game run the show. From raising adorable cats to building empires and raiding dungeons, there are several must-play idle games readily available for the low price of free. While some still involve strategic decisions, these games lean towards the cozy genre more than the fast-paced action of strategy games. Use our recommendations to get started on your idle gamer journey.

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