# The Captain is Dead vs Barnard's Star

The clearest difference is price: Barnard's Star at $3.99 against The Captain is Dead's $9.99. Barnard's Star also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 56%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). The Captain is Dead's advantage is chart position (#200 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

The Captain is Dead costs $9.99 and Barnard's Star $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Barnard's Star holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 65 and 46 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of The Captain is Dead's written reviews are positive against 78% of Barnard's Star's.

The Captain is Dead ships an update every 2 months, Barnard's Star every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Captain is Dead | Barnard's Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | [4.5 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-captain-is-dead/id1483950942/reviews) | **[4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barnards-star/id1556427846/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **65** | 46 |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | **78.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#200** | — |
| Size | 264 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Thunderbox Entertainment Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480243519) | [Pollywog Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1383938094) |

## What reviewers say

### The Captain is Dead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-captain-is-dead/id1483950942)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Command your crew to repair ship systems and fend off aliens in this turn-based survival strategy game. Leverage unique crew talents and ship systems to escape imminent destruction in deep space.

**Highlights:** Turn-based survival strategy, Command unique crew members, Repair critical ship systems, Defend against hostile aliens, Leverage ship systems, Escape to Hyperspace

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Barnard's Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barnards-star/id1556427846)

Engage in strategic, turn-based multiplayer battles across space. Outwit opponents with unique character abilities and tactical map control. Victory depends solely on your strategic prowess, with no reliance on luck or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer turn-based tactics, No micro-transactions or random chance, 3 warring factions (Humans, Robots, Critters), 30 characters with unique attacks, 18 maps on space stations and ships, Offline vs. AI and local multiplayer, Online multiplayer challenges

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Captain is Dead free?

The Captain is Dead costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Barnard's Star free?

Barnard's Star costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Captain is Dead or Barnard's Star?

Barnard's Star is rated higher. The Captain is Dead averages 4.5 out of 5 from 65 ratings, while Barnard's Star averages 4.7 from 46 ratings.

### Do The Captain is Dead or Barnard's Star have ads?

Neither The Captain is Dead nor Barnard's Star shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Captain is Dead or Barnard's Star?

The Captain is Dead ships an update every 2 months, and Barnard's Star every 4 weeks. Most recently, The Captain is Dead was updated on November 3, 2026 and Barnard's Star on November 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*