# Retro Commander vs Sol Frontiers

The clearest difference is rating: Sol Frontiers at 4.2 against Retro Commander's 3.7. Sol Frontiers also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (122 vs 16). Retro Commander's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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.

Sol Frontiers holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sol Frontiers has 122 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% 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.

Retro Commander ships an update every 2 months, Sol Frontiers fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Commander | Sol Frontiers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-commander/id1274342935/reviews) | **[4.2 (122 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sol-frontiers-idle-strategy/id6460690100/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **122** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 58.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 151 MB | 192 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Noble Master LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/310121642) | [Early Morning Studio AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/507813427) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-commander/id1274342935)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Map: Chapter 02 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 02 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 05 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Clan Manager | $1.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 03 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 08 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map A1 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 04 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 06 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 07 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 03 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 04 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Modded Maps | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Maps & Modding | $19.99 | one-time |


### Sol Frontiers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sol-frontiers-idle-strategy/id6460690100)

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Packet of Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Canister of Dark Matter | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Canister of Credits | $6.99 | one-time |
| Starter Package | $7.99 | one-time |
| Array of Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Array of Dark Matter | $14.99 | one-time |
| Stockpile of Credits | $29.99 | one-time |
| Vault of Credits | $59.99 | one-time |
| Vault of Dark Matter | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics
- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay loop
- ⭐ Similar to other successful games
- 💡 Innovative space theme
- 🚀 Good for patient players

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Slow progression
- ⏳ Long wait times
- 💰 Pay-to-win elements
- 💸 Expensive in-game purchases
- 😩 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Add skip ad feature
- Add overview map
- Option to buy with less/no ads
- Add building base options
- Add ship customization


## Frequently asked 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 3.7 out of 5 from 16 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 26, 2026 and Sol Frontiers on October 24, 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.*