# Star Traders vs Dune

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Star Traders at none against Dune's 3. Star Traders also leads on price ($6.99 vs $10.99) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.0). Dune's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On review sentiment, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Star Traders costs $6.99 and Dune $10.99 up front. Dune sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Star Traders asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dune holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dune has 5K ratings behind it against 673, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Star Traders's written reviews are positive against 79% of Dune's.

Star Traders ships an update every 3 weeks, Dune every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Traders | Dune |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$6.99** | $10.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (673 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232/reviews) | **[4.9 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dune-imperium/id1575414319/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 673 | **5K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews | **79.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #40 | **#18** |
| Size | 316 MB | 804 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Trese Brothers](https://appshunter.io/developer/528949265) | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Traders

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

**Currently charting:** #40 Top Paid · Role Playing, #83 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


### Dune

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dune-imperium/id1575414319)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Paid · Board, #62 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Engage in strategic warfare and political intrigue on the desert planet Arrakis. This award-winning board game adaptation blends deck-building and worker placement mechanics. Compete against AI, other players online, or face unique challenges and rotating game modes.

**Highlights:** Deck-building mechanics, Worker placement strategy, Online multiplayer, Local AI battles, Unique challenges, Rotating Skirmish Mode, Achievement system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dune: Imperium - Rise of Ix | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dune: Imperium - Immortality | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dune: Imperium - Uprising | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful implementation
- 💪 Challenging AI
- 🕹️ Great digital adaptation of the board game
- 🕰️ Quick gameplay sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Obtrusive DRM
- 🕹️ No local multiplayer/pass-and-play
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔁 Slow reloading when switching between app and game
- 🔍 Difficulty seeing card details

**Reported bugs**

- Intrigue card issues
- Inconsistent login credentials
- Notification problems
- Victory points reset bug

**Requested features**

- Controller support
- Pass and play mode
- Ability to choose leaders
- Expand card detail visibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Traders free?

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

### Is Dune free?

Dune costs $10.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Star Traders or Dune?

Dune is rated higher. Star Traders averages 4.6 out of 5 from 673 ratings, while Dune averages 4.9 from 5K ratings.

### Do Star Traders or Dune have ads?

Neither Star Traders nor Dune shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Traders or Dune?

Star Traders ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dune every 5 days. Most recently, Star Traders was updated on October 26, 2026 and Dune on October 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Star Traders or Dune?

Star Traders currently peaks at #40 in the App Store charts, and Dune at #18. 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.*