Games Like Clash of Clans (2026): 10 Base-Building Games

If you've spent a lot of evenings upgrading walls, training troops and planning raids in Clash of Clans, it's natural to wonder what else is out there. The loop is hard to beat: build, defend, attack, repeat. The good news is that plenty of other games share it, and some change the formula in ways you might like even more.

Here are ten games like Clash of Clans, listed in no particular order and sorted from A to Z. I put the list together from each game's own website or its App Store page, so the descriptions stay short and I've left out anything I couldn't confirm there. If you'd also like strategy games for a computer, my guide to free offline strategy games for PC covers a different set of options.

Base-building games like Clash of Clans at a glance

In the free to play column, Yes means the game's own website or store page says it's free to download or play. Most of these games also offer optional in-app purchases, so look at each listing for the details in your own country before you install anything.

Game	Platforms	Good for	Free to play
Boom Beach	iOS, Android, Windows	Raiding enemy island bases with a slower pace	Yes
Castle Clash	iPhone, iPad	Fantasy heroes and expanding your territory	Yes
Elvenar	Browser, iOS, Android	A calm fantasy city builder as elves or humans	Yes
Forge of Empires	Browser, iOS, Android	Growing a city from the Stone Age onward	Yes
Hustle Castle	iPhone, iPad, Mac	Castle building with villagers and a strategy RPG feel	Yes
Lords Mobile	iOS, Android	Kingdom building with heroes and online battles	Yes
Rise of Kingdoms	iPhone, iPad, Mac	Civilisation strategy on a shared world map	Yes
Total Battle	Browser	City building and clan wars in your browser	Yes
Tribal Wars 2	Browser, iOS, Android	Medieval village strategy with tribes and alliances	Yes
Whiteout Survival	iPhone, iPad, Mac	Rebuilding a frozen town and joining an alliance	Yes

Ten base-building strategy games to try after Clash of Clans, A to Z

Boom Beach

Best for: Players who prefer planning attacks on island bases and working through a campaign, with less village defending than the game they know.

Castle Clash

Best for: Anyone who likes recruiting heroes and growing a castle realm, with a fantasy flavour and online battles to join.

Elvenar

Best for: People who enjoy growing a village into a kingdom at a steady pace, with trading and a magical setting.

Forge of Empires

Best for: Builders who like researching new technology and watching a small settlement change through the ages.

Hustle Castle

Best for: Players who want to upgrade a fortress room by room, recruit villagers and battle rivals.

Lords Mobile

Best for: Fans of base growth who also want fantasy heroes and a large world of other players to team up with.

Rise of Kingdoms

Best for: Players ready for a bigger step, with real-time battles and a shared map instead of one private village.

Total Battle

Best for: People who'd rather play in a browser than install an app, building a city and joining a clan.

Tribal Wars 2

Best for: Players who enjoy growing a village into a fortified castle and teaming up with a tribe.

Whiteout Survival

Best for: Players who like the build-and-upgrade loop but want a winter survival setting and alliance play.

What makes a game feel like Clash of Clans

Before you pick one, it helps to work out which part of the original hooked you. Games in this style share a skeleton but differ a lot in the details.

• The base. Some games give you a compact village to defend. Others give you a sprawling city that's more about layout and planning.
• The raids. Attacking other players' bases is the heart of the original. Many alternatives swap this for campaigns, battles on a shared map or alliance wars.
• The pace. Upgrades in this genre take real time to finish, so you check in a few times a day. Some games are slower and gentler, others push you to act quickly.
• The team side. Clans, tribes and alliances give you people to chat with and plan alongside. If that's what you enjoyed, look for a strong group system.
• The setting. Medieval villages, fantasy realms, tropical islands and frozen towns all feel different, even when the core loop is similar.

Which Clash of Clans alternative suits which kind of player

• Village defenders will feel at home with games built around a walled base and steady upgrades.
• City planners may prefer the builders in this list, where layout and growth matter more than fighting.
• Hero collectors should look at the fantasy titles with named heroes and special abilities.
• Team players should pick a game with active clans, tribes or alliances, since that's where much of the fun comes from.
• Browser players can try the games that run without an install, which suits a work laptop or an older device.

If you'd like to try a game on a lower-powered machine first, my list of free offline PC games for 4GB RAM laptops is worth a look, and this round-up of strategy games for PC has more ideas.

Questions to ask before you start a Clash of Clans style game

• Does the game need an internet connection all the time? Most online strategy games do.
• Is it available for my device? Check the platform listed on the game's own page.
• How often will I need to check in? Long upgrade timers suit a quick look a few times a day.
• Do I want to join a team, or would I rather play on my own?
• What age rating does the store give it, and what does it say about chat and online play?

Settling into a new base-building strategy game

1. Follow the opening tutorial to the end. It usually explains the main upgrade path.
2. Pick one thing to improve at a time instead of spreading your effort thin.
3. Read how the game handles other players before you join a team, so you know what's expected.
4. Check the settings for notifications. A few useful alerts are better than constant pings.
5. Give it a few days before you decide. These games build slowly, and the best parts arrive later.

Parents: age ratings and chat in Clash of Clans style strategy games

Strategy games like these can look harmless, but they usually include chat and online play. Several of the store pages I read list a 9+ age rating, and mention loot boxes and messaging. One game's own page cites a 16 rating. Please check each game's rating and chat settings yourself, and talk with your child about who they play with.

Slip-ups when hunting for Clash of Clans alternatives

• Installing several at once, then never getting far in any of them.
• Expecting an exact copy and feeling disappointed by different rules.
• Joining a team without checking how lively the group looks.
• Skipping the store page and finding the game isn't available on your device.
• Forgetting that these games reward patience and short, regular visits.

Do you make mobile or PC games? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Picking your next raid-and-build game after Clash of Clans

Think about what you'd miss most, whether that's the raids, the building or the team chat. Choose two games that match, play each for a few days, and keep the one you look forward to opening. If you fancy something different from strategy, two-player games you can play on one phone might be a nice change of pace.

This guide is part of my Free Games to Play Offline and Online: Every Guide in One Place (2026).

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest game to Clash of Clans?

It depends on what you liked. For raiding bases, look at games built around attacks on other players. For village and castle growth, look at the city and kingdom builders. Reading the store description helps you spot the match.

Are games like Clash of Clans free to play?

Every game on this page says on its own site or store listing that it's free to download or play. Many offer optional in-app purchases, so check the listing for your country.

Can I play base-building strategy games offline?

Most of these games need an internet connection because they involve other players. Check the store page or the developer's site before relying on offline play.

Are these games suitable for children?

Ratings differ between games. Look at the age rating on each store page, check the chat and online settings, and play together first if you're unsure.

Do I need a phone to play?

No. Some games here run in a web browser, and others have Mac versions. The table lists the platforms each game's own page confirms.