Comparison

Sublight Empire vs Stellar Wind Idle

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

Head to head
About

Sublight Empire

Experience a unique 4X space strategy game where actions and events unfold over years due to the speed of light limitations. Explore, colonize, and conquer star systems to achieve galactic dominance.

Highlights
  • Relativistic speed of light mechanics
  • Real-time command propagation delays
  • Explore and colonize star systems
  • Defend and conquer colonies
  • Classic 4X gameplay
  • Galactic conquest objective
Features
Read full description

Einstein's theory of relativity states that nothing is faster than light. This also applies to this game. Information is radio signals propagating at the speed of light. These radio signals transmit your commands and the events you receive. Spaceships move at a fraction of the speed of light. So it takes years for a command or a spaceship to reach its destination. When a battle takes place, you won't know about it until years later. Apart from this, it is a classic 4X game. In the beginning you rule a single star system and you are exploring and colonizing the surrounding systems. Later on you will meet your opponents and you will have to defend and conquer colonies. To win the game, you must conquer 2/3 of all stars.

About

Stellar Wind Idle

Explore a galaxy in chaos, building and customizing spaceships to battle endless enemy hordes. Investigate different worlds and uncover a developing story to restore order.

Highlights
  • Varied spaceships with unique strengths
  • Customizable ships with modules
  • Engaging spaceship combat
  • Auto battles and offline progress
  • Large campaign map with story
  • Galaxy exploration
Features
Read full description

Enter the world where the whole galaxy has lost reason. You were providing security to the human cosmos but this time it is almost impossible. Fly forward, build ships, look for amazing modules, investigate space as if your life depended on it because the endless enemy hordes will never give up. Enjoy selecting ships for your fleet, studying their strengths and weaknesses, and upgrading them using a variety of methods. Travel to different worlds trying to find a way to stop the frenzy the galaxy is engulfed in. Key features: * Varied spaceships with different strengths and weaknesses * Customizable spaceships with modules * Awesome fights between spaceships * Auto battles & offline progress * Large campaign map with a developing story If you have any questions, feel free to ask us anytime at support@entropy-games.com

Screenshots

Sublight Empire4 screens
Stellar Wind Idle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sublight Empire at none against Stellar Wind Idle's 10. Sublight Empire also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Stellar Wind Idle's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (649 vs 2). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Stellar Wind Idle sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Sublight Empire asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sublight Empire holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stellar Wind Idle has 649 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sublight Empire ships an update every 6 months, Stellar Wind Idle every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sublight Empire versus Stellar Wind Idle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSublight EmpireStellar Wind Idle
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.7 (649 ratings)
Positive reviews—67.5% of reviews
Number of ratings2649 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB760 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperEnrico UngerEntropy Games Studio

Customer experience

Sublight Empire

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Stellar Wind Idle

All ratings649 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive67.5%
Neutral7.5%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Sublight Empire

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Stellar Wind Idle

One-time10
  • Start Pack$1.99
  • Personal Offer (1.99$)$1.99
  • Daily Progress Pack$2.99
Show 7 more
  • Personal Offer ($4.99)$4.99
  • Yorktown Pack$9.99
  • Personal Offer (9.99$)$9.99
  • Supernova Psionic Hook$19.99
  • Personal Offer (19.99$)$19.99
  • Personal Offer (29.99$)$29.99
  • Personal Offer (99.99$)$99.99

Questions

Is Sublight Empire free?
Sublight Empire is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stellar Wind Idle free?
Stellar Wind Idle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sublight Empire or Stellar Wind Idle?
Sublight Empire is rated higher. Sublight Empire averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Stellar Wind Idle averages 4.7 from 649 ratings.
Do Sublight Empire or Stellar Wind Idle have ads?
Neither Sublight Empire nor Stellar Wind Idle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sublight Empire or Stellar Wind Idle?
Sublight Empire ships an update every 6 months, and Stellar Wind Idle every 10 days. Most recently, Sublight Empire was updated on November 4, 2026 and Stellar Wind Idle on November 8, 2026.

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