# Phoenix 2 vs Starfighter

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Starfighter at none against Phoenix 2's 11. Starfighter also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). Phoenix 2's advantage is ratings volume (26K vs 83). On price, rating, update cadence and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phoenix 2 sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Starfighter asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Phoenix 2 against 4.6 for Starfighter. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phoenix 2 has 26K ratings behind it against 83, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Phoenix 2's written reviews are positive against 100% of Starfighter's.

Phoenix 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, Starfighter fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phoenix 2 | Starfighter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689/reviews)** | [4.6 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfighter-ace/id1365275829/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 83 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 295 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Firi Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/361212278) | [Leaked Productions LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/826062062) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Starfighter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfighter-ace/id1365275829)

Pilot a starfighter through alien motherships, blasting enemies and facing challenging bosses. Upgrade your ship with power-ups and customize its appearance. Compete for the top spot on global leaderboards in this endless space shooter.

**Highlights:** Simple Responsive Controls, Endless Shooter Gameplay, Challenging Boss Battles, Engaging Power Ups, Global Leaderboards, Ship Skins & Customizations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phoenix 2 free?

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

### Is Starfighter free?

Starfighter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phoenix 2 or Starfighter?

Phoenix 2 is rated higher. Phoenix 2 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Starfighter averages 4.6 from 83 ratings.

### Do Phoenix 2 or Starfighter have ads?

Phoenix 2 shows ads; Starfighter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phoenix 2 or Starfighter?

Phoenix 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Starfighter fortnightly. Most recently, Phoenix 2 was updated on October 17, 2026 and Starfighter on October 4, 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.*