# Kernel King vs Star Colony

The clearest difference is update cadence: Kernel King at every 6 days against Star Colony's every 3 weeks. Kernel King also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kernel King sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Star Colony sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Kernel King ships an update every 6 days, Star Colony every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kernel King | Star Colony |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel-king/id1072806976/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **40** | — |
| Positive reviews | 89.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 46 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blake Eckert](https://appshunter.io/developer/1031112881) | [MARTIN M J LYNCH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884527312) |

## What reviewers say

### Kernel King

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel-king/id1072806976)

Tap to create an endless stream of popcorn in this addictive idle game. Invest in upgrades to pop faster, earn more, and unlock new poppers. Compete with friends and aim to become the ultimate Kernel King.

**Highlights:** Tap to make popcorn, Investments for faster popping, Upgrade popper and recipe, Offline kernel earnings, Unlockable poppers, Prestige system, Bonuses and multipliers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Double Kernels Per Second | $0.99 | one-time |
| Double Kernels | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kernel Blast | $1.99 | one-time |
| Shaker of Salt | $1.99 | one-time |
| Treadmill | $1.99 | one-time |
| King Kernel | $4.99 | one-time |
| Salt Mine | $9.99 | one-time |
| Kernel Bomb | $19.99 | one-time |
| Forever 20x | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Simple and easy to play mechanics
- 🎮 Fun way to pass time and avoid boredom
- 💰 Can customize without spending real money
- 🎯 Great for all ages including children

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads appearing frequently
- 💸 Expensive upgrades and progression
- 🐛 Game crashes and kicks to home screen
- ⏱️ Slow progression and kernel earning
- 🔄 Data loss after crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes and forces user to home screen
- Data loss when game crashes
- Game won't start without reviewing or advertising
- Glitches causing loss of progress

**Requested features**

- Timer mode to track kernels earned
- Upgrade levels with multipliers for easier progression
- Better tutorial or onboarding instructions
- More diverse upgrades and features


### Star Colony

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-colony/id6760729376)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| 220 Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| 575 Gems | $7.99 | one-time |
| 1200 Gems | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kernel King free?

Kernel King is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Star Colony free?

Star Colony is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Kernel King or Star Colony have ads?

Neither Kernel King nor Star Colony shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kernel King or Star Colony?

Kernel King ships an update every 6 days, and Star Colony every 3 weeks. Most recently, Kernel King was updated on October 22, 2026 and Star Colony on October 8, 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.*