Stardew Valley is one of the best purchases I've made all year, and if you're willing to spend a few dollars on a mobile game, this is the one to pick. As a longtime Harvest Moon fan (now called Story of Seasons), I fell for Stardew Valley the moment I first played it on Nintendo Switch back in 2018. But with my Switch gathering dust in a closet, I decided to try the mobile version and am so glad I came back.
You can compare it to the rest of my picks in the best mobile games for iPhone and Android.
- $4.99, one-time purchase
- Available for iOS and Android
A farm this detailed adds up in data
Stardew Valley itself doesn't need much of a connection once it's downloaded, but syncing progress and updates across a phone and a tablet is a different story. An unlimited plan means your farm keeps saving without a data meter getting in the way.
|
Mint Mobile
Unlimited Data Plan
$15.00/mo
$45 for 3 months of service
|
|
Visible
$19 Visible Plan
$19.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
T-Mobile
Essentials Saver 2.0
$50.00/mo
with Auto-Pay - Taxes & Fees NOT included
|
Stardew Valley is more than just a simple farm
You just inherited your grandfather's farm and need to fix it up. There are trees to cut, weeds to pluck, and logs to move, plus your little cabin is barebones and needs sprucing up too. But Stardew Valley is so much more than a simple farming simulator.
You can mine, fish, gather wildflowers, and stumble across special sprites hidden around the map. Better yet, you need to build relationships with the town's villagers, and maybe even find a spouse along the way. I love the fact that romance can take place in this game, and as the song goes: first comes love, then comes marriage, and then the baby in the baby carriage, because you can start a family too.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut
Things can go wrong, so be careful
Animals get sick, and blights can hit your crops, which keeps the game from ever feeling too easy. I love the art direction just as much as the gameplay. The animals are adorable (my personal favorite being the chickens), and even the pixel fruits and vegetables are outright charming.
I think Stardew Valley is the ideal game for everyone. The story changes depending on what you do, which makes the fun endless. You can always just make a new game as a man or woman to see what the other half experiences.
Not sure how to update your apps?
Keeping your apps up to date ensures you're always getting the latest features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Learn how to update the apps on your iPhone and your Android. It takes less time than you think.
Is Stardew Valley worth downloading?
Yes, and at $4.99, it's one of the best purchases you'll make all year. There's no premium tier or subscription sitting behind the farming, the fishing, the mining, or the relationships you build with the town's villagers, so the one-time purchase covers everything the game has to offer.
Stardew Valley is one of the best purchases I've made all year. The best $4.99 you'll spend on your phone, ever.
Jessica Santero, WhistleOut Staff Writer
How I tested Stardew Valley
- Played through the opening farm cleanup, including cutting trees, plucking weeds, and moving logs
- Tested mining, fishing, and gathering wildflowers around the map
- Built relationships with town villagers, including pursuing marriage and starting a family
- Compared the mobile version's auto-attack in the mines against manual combat on PC
Why you can trust WhistleOut
.svg)
15+
years of mobile industry experience
900+
published wireless guides
35+
firsthand carrier reviews
We've been around since the birth of the iPhone. Along the way, we've learned how to spot the best deals for your wallet (and your sanity). We spend our days researching informative guides and writing insightful reviews on every kind of wireless plan, distinguishing what matters from what doesn't. We played around with these plans before recommending them, ensuring they're worth your hard-earned money.
Want to know more? Check out how we review every cell phone plan we rank.
Stardew Valley: FAQ
How much does Stardew Valley cost on mobile?
Stardew Valley is a one-time purchase of $4.99 on both iOS and Android, with no subscription or additional in-app purchases required.
Can you get married and start a family in Stardew Valley?
Yes, you can build relationships with the town's villagers, find a spouse, and start a family as you progress through the game.
Is Stardew Valley the best mobile game overall?
Stardew Valley is the top overall pick for its depth and replay value, though the best game depends on whether you want a quick arcade session or a long-term farming sim.
Does the mobile version of Stardew Valley play differently than PC?
Mobile players note that the mines include an auto-attack feature, which many consider an advantage over manual combat on PC, along with gates that open and close automatically as you walk through them.
Jessica Santero
Staff Writer
Find a better phone plan
Thousands of cell phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
