# Operation vs Space Station Simulator

The clearest difference is ads: Space Station Simulator at none against Operation's shown. Space Station Simulator also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Operation's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 36%) and ratings volume (625 vs 110). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Operation sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Space Station Simulator sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Operation against 4.3 for Space Station Simulator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Operation has 625 ratings behind it against 110, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Operation's written reviews are positive against 36% of Space Station Simulator's.

Operation ships an update every 2 weeks, Space Station Simulator every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Operation | Space Station Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (625 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-new-earth/id1098898838/reviews) | **[4.3 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-station-simulator/id1333062826/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **625** | 110 |
| Positive reviews | **52.2% of reviews** | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 302 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tilting Point LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1095401785) | [Appscraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652334821) |

## What reviewers say

### Operation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-new-earth/id1098898838)

Defend Earth from a massive alien invasion in this sci-fi multiplayer strategy game. Build your base, raise an army, and command powerful heroes to retake the planet. Form alliances and engage in real-time faction wars against both aliens and hostile humans.

**Highlights:** Build and upgrade military facility, Train specialized army units, Command and capture enemy heroes, Chat, trade, and invite players, Join alliances for strategic warfare, Engage in real-time faction wars

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze Supply Drop | $0.99 | one-time |
| Iron Supply Drop | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gold Supply Drop | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bronze Shard Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Epic Bronze Booster Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Silver Shard Bundle | $29.99 | one-time |
| Gold Shard Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Shard Bundle | $89.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Shard Bundle | $99.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Hero Equipment Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Enjoyable strategy elements
- 🤝 Good alliance system
- 💡 Potential for improvement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🕰️ Slow progression and long upgrade times
- 🤺 Bullying and imbalance between players

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and connection issues
- Inability to update or download new versions
- Glitches with UI and in-game mechanics

**Requested features**

- Improved shielding and protection options
- Expanded map and zoom functionality
- Better resource production and gathering
- More balanced matchmaking and region merges


### Space Station Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-station-simulator/id1333062826)

Command your own orbital station, managing resources, constructing new modules, and developing your fleet. Engage in peaceful resource extraction or aggressive interplanetary warfare against other players.

**Highlights:** Develop your space station, Build a fleet of ships, Participate in star wars, Extract and recycle resources, Plunder interplanetary caravans

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skip Mission | $0.99 | one-time |
| Module overboost with discount | $0.99 | one-time |
| Add 5000 credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Greenhouse | $1.99 | one-time |
| Photon Cannons | $1.99 | one-time |
| Space warping | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hyper Jump | $1.99 | one-time |
| Add 10000 credits | $2.99 | one-time |
| All Gadgets Special Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Add 160.000 credits | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Operation free?

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

### Is Space Station Simulator free?

Space Station Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Operation or Space Station Simulator?

Space Station Simulator is rated higher. Operation averages 4.2 out of 5 from 625 ratings, while Space Station Simulator averages 4.3 from 110 ratings.

### Do Operation or Space Station Simulator have ads?

Operation shows ads; Space Station Simulator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Operation or Space Station Simulator?

Operation ships an update every 2 weeks, and Space Station Simulator every 8 days. Most recently, Operation was updated on November 11, 2026 and Space Station Simulator on November 2, 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.*