# Auralux vs Close Cities

The clearest difference is ads: Auralux at none against Close Cities's shown. Auralux also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 69%) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 356). Close Cities's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Auralux sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Close Cities sells 4 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 — 4.7 for Auralux against 4.8 for Close Cities. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Auralux has 5.2K ratings behind it against 356, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Auralux's written reviews are positive against 69% of Close Cities's.

Auralux ships an update every 2 months, Close Cities every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Auralux | Close Cities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/auralux-constellations/id1119322616/reviews) | **[4.8 (356 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 356 |
| Positive reviews | **87.0% of reviews** | 69.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 108 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [War Drum Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/524811314) | [Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo](https://appshunter.io/developer/391953849) |

## What reviewers say

### Auralux

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/auralux-constellations/id1119322616)

Experience a unique real-time strategy game with a focus on relaxation and cerebral challenge. Master strategic choices across 150 levels, featuring ambient music and minimalistic graphics. Engage in planetary warfare with up to four players online.

**Highlights:** 150 unique levels, Online multiplayer, Ambient music, Minimalistic graphics, tvOS functionality, Handoff support

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hercules Constellation | $0.99 | one-time |
| Lupus Constellation | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cygnus Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Virgo Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cetus Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Monoceros Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Leo Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Andromeda Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Phoenix Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Perseus Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bootes Constellation | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Constellations | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and music
- 🕹️ Simple but challenging strategy
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Locked levels behind paywall
- 🤖 Unfair AI opponents
- 🐛 Progress not saved properly
- 🕹️ Difficulty spikes too high in later levels

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing issues on certain devices
- Restore purchases not working
- Invisible tutorial messages

**Requested features**

- More free levels
- Random map generator
- Multiplayer improvements
- Ability to customize colors


### Close Cities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084)

Build beautiful cities on diverse worlds by solving unique puzzles. This relaxing game guides you through 160 levels with a simple tap or drag interface, requiring no architectural knowledge. Conquer each world's challenges and travel through time with its calming soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Build cities on empty maps, Solve 160 unique puzzle levels, Intuitive tap and drag controls, No architectural knowledge needed, Travel through different worlds, Relaxing music and pace

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hints - Small Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Medium Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads + Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Big Pack | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Auralux free?

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

### Is Close Cities free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Auralux or Close Cities?

Close Cities is rated higher. Auralux averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Close Cities averages 4.8 from 356 ratings.

### Do Auralux or Close Cities have ads?

Close Cities shows ads; Auralux does not.

### Which is updated more often, Auralux or Close Cities?

Auralux ships an update every 2 months, and Close Cities every 3 weeks. Most recently, Auralux was updated on October 19, 2026 and Close Cities on October 12, 2026.

---

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