# Space Arena vs Nova

The clearest difference is ads: Nova at none against Space Arena's shown. Nova also leads on chart position (#169 vs unranked). Space Arena's advantage is ratings volume (18K vs 4K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Space Arena sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Nova 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 — 4.7 for Space Arena against 4.7 for Nova. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18K and 4K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Space Arena's written reviews are positive against 58% of Nova's.

Space Arena ships an update monthly, Nova every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Arena | Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-arena-construct-and-fight/id1134614037/reviews)** | [4.7 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 4K |
| Positive reviews | 54.3% of reviews | **58.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#169** |
| Size | 366 MB | 2.0 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [HC GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/482544510) | [STONE3 PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571450884) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Arena

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-arena-construct-and-fight/id1134614037)

Design and battle custom spaceships in a futuristic arena. Compete against other players worldwide to prove your design skills and climb the ranks. Unlock new blueprints and modules to create unique, powerful vessels for epic space combat.

**Highlights:** Unique gameplay, Unlockable spaceship blueprints, Masses of building modules, Beautiful space battles, Multiplayer ranking system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Celestium Bundle #1 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Exclusive special pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ship Wing + Bonus | $5.19 | one-time |
| Age Eagle ship | $5.99 | one-time |
| Super good offer | $7.49 | one-time |
| Celestium Bundle #2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pirates special offer! | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pirates special offer! | $14.99 | one-time |
| Destroyer Vega Ship | $15.99 | one-time |
| Celestium Bundle #3 | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Unique ship building mechanics
- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 💡 Potential for strategy and customization
- 🚀 Decent progression without spending money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Matchmaking issues and unbalanced opponents
- ⏱️ Excessive repair times and waiting
- 💰 Pay-to-win elements and expensive upgrades
- 🐛 Inconsistent ship behavior and AI
- 🔍 Lack of visual feedback during battles

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and account data loss issues
- Glitches with daily challenges and rewards
- Incorrect or misleading in-app purchase offers

**Requested features**

- Add visual combat animations
- Improve matchmaking and ship balancing
- Reduce repair times or add alternative progression
- Allow ship rotation and more customization options
- Implement a sandbox mode for testing builds


### Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882)

**Currently charting:** #169 Top Grossing · Strategy (US App Store)

Build and command your own space station and fleet in a chaotic galaxy. Forge alliances, explore new worlds, and engage in strategic space battles to shape the future of the sector. Your decisions will determine the fate of the galaxy.

**Highlights:** Build and customize space stations, Assemble modular warship fleets, Form intergalactic alliances, Explore and investigate the sector, Engage in strategic space battles, Uncover galactic mysteries

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Daily Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Large Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 1 | $39.99 | one-time |
| Huge Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Epic Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun, addictive gameplay
- 👍 Decent progression without paying
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and atmosphere
- 💡 Interesting ship building and customization
- 🌟 Engaging strategy elements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🕰️ Slow progression and grindy gameplay
- 💰 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🧠 Steep learning curve, lacking tutorials
- 🤖 Weak and repetitive combat system

**Reported bugs**

- Account loss and data reset issues
- Inability to load game or access certain features
- Bugs in alliance and multiplayer functionality
- Glitches in ship assembly and upgrade process

**Requested features**

- More in-depth storyline and narrative
- Improved tutorial and onboarding experience
- Ability to control ships directly in combat
- Better balance between free-to-play and paid progression
- More diverse and challenging PvE content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Arena free?

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

### Is Nova free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Space Arena or Nova?

Space Arena is rated higher. Space Arena averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Nova averages 4.7 from 4K ratings.

### Do Space Arena or Nova have ads?

Space Arena shows ads; Nova does not.

### Which is updated more often, Space Arena or Nova?

Space Arena ships an update monthly, and Nova every 3 weeks. Most recently, Space Arena was updated on November 10, 2026 and Nova on November 11, 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.*