# Star Traders vs Crying Suns

The clearest difference is rating: Crying Suns at 4.8 against Star Traders's 4.6. Crying Suns also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 673). Star Traders's advantage is price ($6.99 vs $8.99). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Star Traders costs $6.99 and Crying Suns $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Crying Suns holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 673 and 2.2K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 73% and 73% positive.

Star Traders ships an update every 3 weeks, Crying Suns monthly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Traders | Crying Suns |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$6.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crying-suns/id1511788295/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 673 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **72.9% of reviews** | 72.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#45** | #124 |
| Size | 316 MB | 1014 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Trese Brothers](https://appshunter.io/developer/528949265) | [Alternative Shift](https://appshunter.io/developer/394617049) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Traders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232)

**Currently charting:** #45 Top Paid · Role Playing, #89 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Command your own starship and crew in a vast, procedurally generated open universe. Forge your path as a pirate, merchant, bounty hunter, or explorer, influencing factions and shaping your crew through your choices in this epic sci-fi RPG.

**Highlights:** Open universe exploration, Multiple captain careers (26 jobs), Spaceship customization (350+ upgrades), Crew assembly and talent management, Dynamic narrative and faction influence, Crew molding based on player choices, Varied difficulty options including permadeath

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Impressive depth and complexity
- 🌍 Vast open-world with endless possibilities
- 🔍 Engaging story and lore
- 🤖 Diverse gameplay options (trading, exploration, combat, etc.)
- 🕹️ Satisfying ship and crew management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Steep learning curve, lacks clear tutorials
- 🔍 Repetitive or tedious aspects in late game
- 📱 UI/UX issues on smaller mobile devices
- 🎲 Frustrating RNG elements and difficulty spikes
- 🔒 Lack of cloud save functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crew combat screen UI issues causing accidental input
- Reputation/faction system bugs leading to unexpected outcomes
- Crashes and freezes when navigating certain screens
- Inconsistent behavior with ship component upgrades

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize ship colors and appearances
- Option to command/control multiple ships as a fleet
- More end-game content and progression systems
- Improved UI scaling and optimization for larger screens
- Cloud save/sync functionality across devices


### Crying Suns

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crying-suns/id1511788295)

**Currently charting:** #124 Top Paid · Role Playing, #188 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Command a space fleet in a tactical rogue-lite inspired by classic sci-fi. Explore a procedurally generated universe, engage in strategic ship battles, and uncover a deep storyline across six chapters. Experience a rich narrative and atmospheric gameplay designed for mobile.

**Highlights:** Procedurally-generated space exploration, Tactical battleship and squadron fleet combat, Over 300 story events, Deep, 6-chapter storyline, Mobile-optimized interface

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun gameplay
- 🌟 Amazing atmosphere and story
- 👍 Engaging combat system
- 💎 Great value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Small text and UI elements
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay and missions

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when using certain ship abilities
- Crashes during end-of-chapter cutscenes
- Progression-blocking bugs preventing access to new content
- Inability to progress past specific story points due to crashes

**Requested features**

- Zoom functionality for combat screen
- Ability to play own music during gameplay
- Endless mode or sandbox option
- Improved tutorial to explain key mechanics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Traders free?

Star Traders costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Crying Suns free?

Crying Suns costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Star Traders or Crying Suns?

Crying Suns is rated higher. Star Traders averages 4.6 out of 5 from 673 ratings, while Crying Suns averages 4.8 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do Star Traders or Crying Suns have ads?

Neither Star Traders nor Crying Suns shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Traders or Crying Suns?

Star Traders ships an update every 3 weeks, and Crying Suns monthly. Most recently, Star Traders was updated on October 25, 2026 and Crying Suns on October 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Star Traders or Crying Suns?

Star Traders currently peaks at #45 in the App Store charts, and Crying Suns at #124. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*