# Dead Orbit vs Phoenix 2

The clearest difference is rating: Phoenix 2 at 4.7 against Dead Orbit's 4.0. Phoenix 2 also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (26K vs 5). Dead Orbit's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dead Orbit sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Phoenix 2 sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Phoenix 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phoenix 2 has 26K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Dead Orbit's written reviews are positive against 73% of Phoenix 2's.

Dead Orbit ships an update every 13 months, Phoenix 2 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dead Orbit | Phoenix 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-orbit/id1060017115/reviews) | **[4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **26K** |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 253 MB | 295 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Inlogic Software s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090835521) | [Firi Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/361212278) |

## What reviewers say

### Dead Orbit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-orbit/id1060017115)

Pilot a spaceship through deep space, battling an evil empire in this classic arcade shooter. Upgrade your weapons and defenses to survive intense barrages of enemy fire and meteorites. Experience stunning visuals and an electronic soundtrack as you fight to restore peace to the galaxy.

**Highlights:** Intensive arcade shoot 'em up gameplay, Vast variety of levels, Extreme boss battles, Upgrade shields, guns, missiles, lasers, and magnets, Stunning game visuals and skins, Accessible to casual and hardcore gamers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skin Draco | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Fire | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Red | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Alien Skull | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Ram Skull | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Human Skull | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Toxic Fire | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Violet | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin White | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Yellow | $0.99 | one-time |
| Skin Orange | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Doubler | $3.99 | one-time |


### Phoenix 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689)

Blast through waves of alien invaders in this classic arcade space shooter. Collect and upgrade over 100 unique ships, complete exciting missions, and compete on global leaderboards. Enjoy short game sessions or an action-packed campaign with stunning graphics.

**Highlights:** Over 100 unique ships, Ship collection and upgrades, Action-packed campaign, Special abilities, Daily missions, Global leaderboards, Cross-platform play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 800 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $4.99 | one-time |
| 12000 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $19.99 | one-time |
| 65000 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $49.99 | one-time |
| 140K Credits | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic mobile game
- 🚀 Incredibly fun and addictive
- 🚀 Best bullet hell game on the phone
- 🚀 Easily the best bullet hell I've played
- 🚀 Amazing game for on the go fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Great Gameplay Ruined by Frustrating Ad Experience
- 💰 Supers aren't well implemented
- 💰 Micro-transactions too much
- 💰 Progression limited, hard to earn credits
- 🐛 Terrible, uninspiring compared to original Phoenix HD

**Reported bugs**

- Warp gate charge time bug
- Occasional crashes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add haptic feedback
- Implement an endless mode
- Allow players to customize ships
- Add a level creator
- Provide an offline mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dead Orbit free?

Dead Orbit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Phoenix 2 free?

Phoenix 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dead Orbit or Phoenix 2?

Phoenix 2 is rated higher. Dead Orbit averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Phoenix 2 averages 4.7 from 26K ratings.

### Do Dead Orbit or Phoenix 2 have ads?

Phoenix 2 shows ads; Dead Orbit does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dead Orbit or Phoenix 2?

Dead Orbit ships an update every 13 months, and Phoenix 2 every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dead Orbit was updated on October 16, 2026 and Phoenix 2 on October 18, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*