Choose American Truck Simulator
Choose American Truck Simulator if you want an Indie game with Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, and Stereo Sound. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 97.3% positive across 91,834 reviews.
American Truck Simulator vs Bus Simulator 18
American Truck Simulator and Bus Simulator 18 both land in Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Simulation games on Steam. American Truck Simulator (2016) is 2 years older than Bus Simulator 18 (2018). American Truck Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Bus Simulator 18 (79.6% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Bus Simulator 18
Choose Bus Simulator 18 if it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,900 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both American Truck Simulator and Bus Simulator 18 sit in Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 American Truck Simulator |  Bus Simulator 18 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.3% positive (91,834 reviews) | 79.6% positive (1,900 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | SCS Software | stillalive studios |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- American Truck Simulator (2016) is 2 years older than Bus Simulator 18 (2018).
- American Truck Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Bus Simulator 18 (79.6% positive).
- Bus Simulator 18 is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than American Truck Simulator (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: American Truck Simulator is Deck Verified, Bus Simulator 18 is Deck Playable.
American Truck Simulator vs Bus Simulator 18 — FAQ
- Which is better, American Truck Simulator or Bus Simulator 18?
- On Steam reviews American Truck Simulator scores higher (97.3% positive) than Bus Simulator 18 (79.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, American Truck Simulator is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play American Truck Simulator or Bus Simulator 18 first?
- If you want chronology, American Truck Simulator (2016) came out before Bus Simulator 18 (2018). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are American Truck Simulator and Bus Simulator 18 similar?
- They overlap on Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both American Truck Simulator and Bus Simulator 18 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: American Truck Simulator ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Bus Simulator 18 ships Online Co-op, Co-op.