Spaceflight Simulator vs Astro Builder
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spaceflight Simulator
Build and launch rockets to explore a realistic, open universe. Experience space exploration with accurate physics and a vast, explorable solar system.
- Build custom rockets
- Realistic orbital mechanics
- Explore a scaled universe
- Visit planets and moons
- Open-world space exploration
- Real-life physics simulation
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This game is about space explorations, its about building your own rocket, and going out to explore and see whats out there, all while following real life physics. • Realistically scaled universe, with planets up to hundreds of kilometers in size and millions of kilometers of space between them. • Realistic orbital mechanics • Open universe, if you see something in the distance, you can go there, no limits, no invisible walls. Current planets: Mercury. Venus. Earth. Moon. Mars. Phobos. Deimos.
Astro Builder
Build a sprawling space station in orbit with this idle construction game. Start with basic components and expand your facility by unlocking new equipment and generating resources. Discover and develop new areas as your station grows.
- Idle space station construction
- Resource management
- Unlock new equipment
- Expand and develop areas
- Space elevator material transport
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Welcome to Astro Builder, the ultimate casual idle game where you construct a space station in near-Earth orbit. Begin with a simple setup—a connecting ground track and a small platform. Material is transported to the platform via a space elevator and piled on the ground. Utilize the resources to expand and improve the platform, unlocking new equipment and producing valuable resources. Each construction phase reveals a new area, waiting to be developed and unlocked. Can you build the ultimate space station and conquer the cosmos?
Screenshots
Verdict
Spaceflight Simulator and Astro Builder both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of Spaceflight Simulator's written reviews are positive against 33% of Astro Builder's. Spaceflight Simulator also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 11 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Spaceflight Simulator sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Astro Builder sells 5 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 — 4.8 for Spaceflight Simulator against 4.7 for Astro Builder. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spaceflight Simulator has 97K ratings behind it against 3.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Spaceflight Simulator's written reviews are positive against 33% of Astro Builder's.
Spaceflight Simulator ships an update every 9 days, Astro Builder every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spaceflight Simulator | Astro Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (97K ratings) — better | 4.7 (3.3K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 97K — better | 3.3K |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 11 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 172 MB | 251 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Spaceflight Simulator UK Ltd | Solid Games |
Customer experience
Spaceflight Simulator
Astro Builder
User reviews
Spaceflight Simulator
From 97K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Realistic physics and space simulation
- 👍 Intuitive controls and easy to learn
- 🚀 Ability to build complex rockets and spacecraft
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases required to play
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches, especially with large rockets
- 🔋 Potential performance issues on older devices
- 🔒 Limited customization and part options in free version
- 🚀 Docking and rendezvous maneuvers can be very challenging
Astro Builder
From 3.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fun game concept
- 👍 Detailed space station building
- 💡 Customizable astronaut suits
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy AI and builder behavior
- 🔇 Lack of sound and music
- 🔁 Repetitive and monotonous gameplay
- 🔒 Forced ads and limited free content
- ⏱️ Slow progress without watching ads
Bugs and requests
Spaceflight Simulator
Reported bugs
4 issues- Rocket parts sometimes clipping through each other
- Occasional freezing or crashing when launching large rockets
- Issues with RCS thrusters firing unexpectedly during docking
- Problems with maintaining stable orbits and transfers
Requested features
6 requests- Add more planets, moons, and celestial bodies to explore
- Implement a career mode or progression system with challenges
- Allow for more customization of rocket parts and spacecraft
- Improve docking and rendezvous mechanics to make them more accessible
- Add the ability to control individual astronauts and perform EVAs
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- Implement a fuel line system for more efficient staging
Astro Builder
Reported bugs
3 issues- Builders getting stuck or ignoring resource needs
- Inconsistent behavior when collecting from processors
- Permanent worker upgrades not functioning properly
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to continue progress offline
- More varied level designs and challenges
- Autonomous builder behavior
- Background progress while app is closed
In-app purchases
Spaceflight Simulator
- Skins Expansion$2.99
- Full Version$3.99
- Redstone + Atlas Pack$3.99
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- Parts Expansion$4.99
- Infinite Area Expansion$4.99
- Expansion Bundle$7.99
- Cheats Expansion$9.99
- Full Bundle Upgrade$9.99
- Full Bundle$11.99
- Full Bundle$14.99
Astro Builder
- AD TICKETS 10$0.99
- AD TICKETS 25$1.99
- AD TICKETS 60$3.99
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- Ad-free 7 day$4.99
- Permanent ad-free!$9.99
Questions
Is Spaceflight Simulator free?
Is Astro Builder free?
Which has better reviews, Spaceflight Simulator or Astro Builder?
Do Spaceflight Simulator or Astro Builder have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spaceflight Simulator or Astro Builder?
Other comparisons
