Comparison

Retro Commander vs Sol Frontiers

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Retro Commander

Engage in post-apocalyptic real-time strategy battles. Command diverse units and technologies in a rich story campaign or test your skills against AI and players in cross-platform multiplayer. Features include a map editor and extensive modding capabilities.

Highlights
  • Post-apocalyptic RTS gameplay
  • Story campaign with unique factions
  • Single-player skirmish matches vs AI
  • Cross-platform multiplayer
  • Map editor and modding support
  • Diverse units and research options
  • Multiple game modes (capture the flag, battle royale)
Features
Read full description

Retro Commander is a post-apocalyptic real-time strategy wargame (RTS). Take command and fight it out in a world where a cataclysmic timeline has transpired on Mother Earth. Wage wars solo, against the AI, or take on your gaming comrades and friends in cross-platform multiplayer matches. Form teams and clans and fight co-op style with the AI and other players for ultimate victory. As opposed to other real-time strategy game, Retro Commander tries to focus on both, a fun single player and a thrilling multiplayer experience. The game strives to be easy to learn with a modern user interface. Single player comes with skirmish matches against the AI as well as a comic-based story campaign. Multiplayer can be played cross-platform and includes a ranking and rating system. POST-APOCALYPTIC: Real-time strategy (RTS) played in a post-apocalyptic timeline on Mother Earth. The environment includes day-night cycles, rain, snow, wind and solar flare activity. STORY CAMPAIGN: Deep campaign and story line of humanity after a cataclysmic event. Factions come with their own specialized technologies such as stealth, robots, drones or shields. SINGLE & MULTIPLAYER: A challenging AI for both single and multiplayer matches with co-op play. Cross-platform multiplayer including LAN/internet. ONLINE play comes with an award and rating system. PLAY MODES: In addition to regular skirmish matches, the game supports missions such as elimination, survival, capture the flag, defense and battle royale. Available in both single and multiplayer also are escort and rescue missions. STRUCTURES & TROOPS: Common troops for land, sea and air warfare is available to all factions. Specialized elements such as stealth, shields, EMP weapons, nukes, portals, orbital weapons, assimilator and other troops and structures provide for additional variety. RESEARCH: A tech tree and research options enable to build specialized structures and troops. A Tech Snatcher can be used to steal enemy technology. MODDING: A map editor is included allowing for player-modded maps including player-modded campaigns. All elements including troops, structures, as well as graphics and sound effects, can be modded if desired.

About

Sol Frontiers

Embark on a sci-fi odyssey to reclaim humanity's lost home. Captain a mothership, awaken your crew, gather resources, and battle cosmic threats in an idle strategy adventure.

Highlights
  • Explore uncharted cosmos
  • Battle the Swarm and Deeper Darkness
  • Upgrade mothership and starfighters
  • Awaken and train diverse crew
  • Gather resources for repairs
  • Idle gameplay mechanics
Read full description

Millennia after our sun inexplicably began dying, the ember of humanity's hope burns anew. As the cosmos stretches out, vast and uncharted, the call of a homecoming beckons. Entrusted with the dream of reclaiming our long-lost cradle, the flagship THE CROWN OF DAHLIA set forth. But silence has shrouded its heralded journey, and now, it's gone missing. In SOL FRONTIERS you captain the JONAH'S WHALE, dispatched on a perilous mission to uncover the fate of the lost Dahlia and to piece together the fragments of a cosmic puzzle. Awaken your crew and expand your mothership. Navigate through haunting space graveyards, confront the sinister SWARM, and face the lurking DEEPER DARKNESS that threatens more than just humanity's return. Gather resources to repair your mothership With a diverse array of resources such as metal, crystals, and credits, ensure you grow your headquarters and, in turn, your reach by equipping and upgrading your crew's starfighters. Prevail over the Swarm Select from a multitude of available crew and awaken up to 18 to your roster. Explore and secure various areas of the cosmos by defeating enemy bosses. Hone your crew's skills in preparation for random enemy encounters as well as the ultimate challenge. Will you pierce the enigma and reclaim Earth? Or will the vastness of space swallow our last hopes? Allow the diverse idle gameplay to transport you into outer space and embark on a saga of discovery, destiny, and the unyielding spirit of humankind in this gripping sci-fi odyssey.

Screenshots

Retro Commander4 screens
Sol Frontiers4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Retro Commander at none against Sol Frontiers's shown. Retro Commander also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (81% vs 59%). Sol Frontiers's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Retro Commander sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Sol Frontiers sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sol Frontiers holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sol Frontiers has 122 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Retro Commander's written reviews are positive against 59% of Sol Frontiers's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retro Commander ships an update every 2 months, Sol Frontiers fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Retro Commander versus Sol Frontiers: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetro CommanderSol Frontiers
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (15 ratings)4.2 (122 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.3% of reviews — better58.7% of reviews
Number of ratings15122 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size152 MB192 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperNoble Master LLCEarly Morning Studio AB

Customer experience

Retro Commander

All ratings15 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative26.7%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive81.3%
Neutral6.3%
Negative12.5%

Sol Frontiers

All ratings120 ratings
Positive80.8%
Neutral7.5%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews75 reviews
Positive58.7%
Neutral4.0%
Negative37.3%

Bugs and requests

Retro Commander

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Sol Frontiers

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • Save progress not working
  • Game no longer works on iPhone 12
  • Awaken 2 heroes bug
  • Crew is locked
  • Cannot save progress due to no login
Show 11 more
  • First quest bug (crew locked)
  • Buggy combat (0 damage rolls)
  • Promo code issues
  • Unable to open crew window
  • Game bugged after update, progress lost
  • Ad on galaxy screen stretches picture
  • Login issues after a day of playing
  • Game crashes
  • Text too small to read
  • Zooming in combat limited
  • Optimization issues (stuttering graphics)

Requested features

15 requests
  • Add skip ad feature
  • Add overview map
  • Option to buy with less/no ads
  • Add building base options
  • Add ship customization
Show 10 more
  • Add battle formations
  • Add unique weapons
  • Add more endgame content
  • Add more missions
  • Add permanent IAP (e.g., remove ads)
  • Add cloud save functionality
  • Add Steam version
  • Add more gold from ads
  • Add more story/backstory
  • Add voice actors for missions

In-app purchases

14 purchases

Retro Commander

One-time14
  • Map: Chapter 02$0.99
  • Map: Battle Map 02$0.99
  • Map: Battle Map 05$0.99
Show 11 more
  • Clan Manager$1.99
  • Map: Chapter 03$3.99
  • Map: Chapter 08$3.99
  • Map: Battle Map A1$3.99
  • Map: Chapter 04$3.99
  • Map: Chapter 06$3.99
  • Map: Chapter 07$3.99
  • Map: Battle Map 03$3.99
  • Map: Battle Map 04$3.99
  • Modded Maps$4.99
  • All Maps & Modding$19.99
11 purchases

Sol Frontiers

One-time11
  • Packet of Credits$0.99
  • Canister of Dark Matter$2.99
  • Starter Pack$2.99
Show 8 more
  • Starter Bundle$4.99
  • Canister of Credits$6.99
  • Starter Package$7.99
  • Array of Credits$9.99
  • Array of Dark Matter$14.99
  • Stockpile of Credits$29.99
  • Vault of Credits$59.99
  • Vault of Dark Matter$59.99

Questions

Is Retro Commander free?
Retro Commander is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sol Frontiers free?
Sol Frontiers is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Retro Commander or Sol Frontiers?
Sol Frontiers is rated higher. Retro Commander averages 3.8 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Sol Frontiers averages 4.2 from 122 ratings.
Do Retro Commander or Sol Frontiers have ads?
Sol Frontiers shows ads; Retro Commander does not.
Which is updated more often, Retro Commander or Sol Frontiers?
Retro Commander ships an update every 2 months, and Sol Frontiers fortnightly. Most recently, Retro Commander was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sol Frontiers on October 24, 2026.

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