The Sims 4

Simulation

7.7~~/10~~

Our score

★ 86% positive Steam·10M–20M installs

Reviewed by Editorial Team, ScoredApps editorial · updated 2026-09-15

Screenshots

A family of Sims dancing and chatting in a colorful living room

Build mode: a cutaway view of a modern house with a garden and pool

Create a Sim: a collage of Sims in different outfits and styles

A two-story family house with a porch and a landscaped yard

Social interactions: Compliment, Flirt and First Kiss options for two Sims in a park

About The Sims 4

The Sims 4 is Maxis's life simulator for PC, macOS and consoles. It is not on the App Store or Google Play, and no mobile version has ever existed. The base game has been free since 2022, so the download costs nothing on a computer — but a phone cannot run it. The Sims Mobile, the closest thing EA made for phones, shut down permanently in January 2026.

Game information

DeveloperMaxis

Size26 GB

Price / In-appFree · in-app purchases

Contains adsNo

In-app purchasesYes

Content ratingESRB T

Requires (PC)Windows 10

Offline modeNot applicable — no mobile version exists

Interface languagesEnglish, French, Italian + 15 more

Store rating (Steam)86% positive from 200,199 reviews

Installs (SteamSpy estimate)10M–20M

Data checked2026-09-12

Specs come from the official store listings and were last checked on 2026-09-12. Developers change pricing and requirements — check the store page before installing.

No Mobile Version: What Sims Players Can Play Instead

It Runs on PC and Consoles, Not Phones

The game is distributed for Windows and macOS, with console editions alongside, and its Steam listing names Maxis as developer. Nothing in that arrangement extends to a phone: there is no iOS build, no Android build, and no cloud version published by EA for mobile browsers. The base game itself has been free to download since 18 October 2022, which is why the search for a phone version comes up so often — the price is no longer the barrier, the hardware is. Expansion and stuff packs remain paid separately.

The Sims Mobile Closed on 20 January 2026

For seven years EA ran a separate phone game, The Sims Mobile, which is what most people found when searching for Sims on a phone. It was delisted from both app stores on 21 October 2025 and its servers were switched off on 20 January 2026, after a final update that unlocked build-mode and character-creation content and granted unlimited energy. No refunds were issued for unspent in-game currency. Anything still advertising itself as The Sims Mobile today is not connected to EA. Anyone who bought currency in the final months lost whatever remained, which is worth remembering before spending in any live-service game.

The Sims FreePlay Is What Remains

One official mobile Sims game is still published: The Sims FreePlay, an older free-to-play title from EA that continues to receive updates and sits in both stores. It is a different game — real-time timers, a smaller world, its own currency — rather than a port of the desktop one, and expecting The Sims 4's build tools from it leads to disappointment. EA has said a new Sims project is in development, but nothing has been announced with a mobile release date attached. EA's own help pages remain the only reliable source on which Sims titles are still supported, since store listings for dead versions linger.

Pros

The base game has been free on computers since October 2022
Console editions exist for people without a gaming PC
The Sims FreePlay still runs on iOS and Android
Progress and packs stay tied to an EA account across devices
Updates continue years after the original release

Cons

There is no iPhone or Android version of this game
The Sims Mobile servers closed permanently in January 2026
Expansion packs stay paid despite the free base game
Sites offering it as a mobile download are not from EA

Download From Steam

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Verdict

The 7.7 is a top-tier life simulator dragged down by its shop: the base game has been free on PC since October 2022, but the 114 add-ons on Steam — Kits from $3.99, expansion packs to $31.99 on the date checked — are where the money goes. Take it on a Windows PC or console if you want the full Create-a-Sim and build mode; there is no phone version and never has been. On a phone the only official Sims left is The Sims FreePlay, a different game after The Sims Mobile closed in January 2026.

Gameplay9.0Create-a-Sim and build mode define the genre, and the base game has been free on PC since October 2022.

Controls8.0Mouse-and-keyboard first: Steam lists a Mouse Only option and no controller support; consoles use their own scheme.

Replay value9.0Twelve years of updates and 114 add-ons on Steam keep careers, worlds and households expanding.

Graphics & sound8.0Runs on a 4 GB RAM, Pixel Shader 3.0 minimum machine; the stylised art has outlasted its 2014 launch.

Monetisation5.0Free base game, then 114 add-ons: Kits from $3.99 and expansion packs to $31.99 on the date checked.

7.7out of 10 · weighted average of the five scores above

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Frequently asked questions

Is The Sims 4 available on iPhone or Android?

No. It has never been released for either platform, and there is no official cloud version aimed at phones. The game runs on Windows, macOS and consoles only, so anything presenting itself as a mobile download of The Sims 4 is unofficial and worth avoiding.

Can you play any Sims game on a phone?

Yes, one: The Sims FreePlay, an older EA title that remains in both app stores and still receives updates. It uses real-time timers and its own currency rather than the desktop game's tools, so treat it as a related game rather than a smaller version of The Sims 4.

Is The Sims 4 free?

The base game has been free to download since 18 October 2022 on computers and consoles. Expansion, game and stuff packs are still sold separately, and the free base game is what most new players start with — the cost only appears when you want the extra content.

What happened to The Sims Mobile?

EA delisted it from the app stores on 21 October 2025 and shut the servers down on 20 January 2026, ending the game after seven years. A final update unlocked build and creation content and removed the energy limit, and no refunds were given for unspent in-game currency.

Is a new Sims game coming to phones?

EA has confirmed a new Sims project is in development, but nothing has been announced with a mobile release date. Until that changes, the phone options are The Sims FreePlay or a life-simulation game from another studio.