# Star Hunter vs Nova

Star Hunter and Nova both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 58% of Nova's written reviews are positive against 39% of Star Hunter's. Star Hunter's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Hunter sells 22 one-off in-app purchases and Nova sells 16 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 — 4.5 for Star Hunter against 4.7 for Nova. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.4K and 4K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 39% of Star Hunter's written reviews are positive against 58% of Nova's.

Star Hunter ships an update weekly, Nova every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Hunter | Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-hunter-infinite-lagrange/id1485549629/reviews) | **[4.7 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.4K** | 4K |
| Positive reviews | 38.7% of reviews | **58.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2.6 GB | 2.0 GB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [NETEASE INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT PTE. LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485225410) | [STONE3 PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571450884) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Hunter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-hunter-infinite-lagrange/id1485549629)

Command your fleet in a post-war galaxy, taking on bounty contracts and exploring ruins for treasure and technology. Build your base, upgrade your ships, and engage in tactical space combat. The choice is yours: roam the void or rise from chaos.

**Highlights:** Interstellar tactical extraction gameplay, Fleet command and control, Bounty hunting and contract missions, Explore ruins for treasure and secrets, Base building and upgrades, Ship customization and combat, Faction interaction

**In-app purchases (22)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60 Chu-Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gift of the Jupiter Ind. | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 Galaxy Market Standard Coin | $1.69 | one-time |
| Beginner Voyage Pack I | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3 Standard Workshop Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Voyage Pack II | $2.99 | one-time |
| 10 Tech Points for frigates | $4.99 | one-time |
| 300 Chu-Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Festival Surprise Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Incremental Repair Device | $4.99 | one-time |
| Strategic Set Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| NOMA Shipping Tech Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10 Tech Points for destroyers | $8.99 | one-time |
| Dawn Standard Tech Support | $8.99 | one-time |
| 680 Chu-Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| StrategicPartnershipAgreement | $14.99 | one-time |
| A-Level Technical Blueprint | $14.99 | one-time |
| 10 Galaxy Market Standard Coin | $16.99 | one-time |
| 1280 Chu-Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 3280 Chu-Coins | $49.99 | one-time |
| 30 Galaxy Market Standard Coin | $50.99 | one-time |
| 6480 Chu-Coins | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🔍 Detailed graphics
- 📚 Engaging gameplay mechanics
- 🤝 Good community and union features
- 💰 Balanced free-to-play model

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Slow progression and long wait times
- 🤖 Unbalanced AI and overpowered opponents
- 🎲 Frustrating RNG for ship blueprints
- 🧭 Poor navigation and pathing issues
- 🏢 Overcrowded servers and lack of space

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and login issues
- Bugs with base relocation and fleet management
- Inconsistent server performance and downtime

**Requested features**

- Add manual ship control and targeting
- Improve blueprint drop rates and progression
- Introduce more PvE content and campaigns
- Implement better server balancing and player protection
- Allow renaming and customization of ships


### Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882)

Build and command your own space station and fleet in a chaotic galaxy. Forge alliances, explore new worlds, and engage in strategic space battles to shape the future of the sector. Your decisions will determine the fate of the galaxy.

**Highlights:** Build and customize space stations, Assemble modular warship fleets, Form intergalactic alliances, Explore and investigate the sector, Engage in strategic space battles, Uncover galactic mysteries

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Daily Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack III | $5.99 | one-time |
| Medium Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Large Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Prime Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 1 | $39.99 | one-time |
| Huge Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 2 | $54.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack II | $69.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack | $79.99 | one-time |
| Epic Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun, addictive gameplay
- 👍 Decent progression without paying
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and atmosphere
- 💡 Interesting ship building and customization
- 🌟 Engaging strategy elements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🕰️ Slow progression and grindy gameplay
- 💰 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🧠 Steep learning curve, lacking tutorials
- 🤖 Weak and repetitive combat system

**Reported bugs**

- Account loss and data reset issues
- Inability to load game or access certain features
- Bugs in alliance and multiplayer functionality
- Glitches in ship assembly and upgrade process

**Requested features**

- More in-depth storyline and narrative
- Improved tutorial and onboarding experience
- Ability to control ships directly in combat
- Better balance between free-to-play and paid progression
- More diverse and challenging PvE content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Hunter free?

Star Hunter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Nova free?

Nova is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Star Hunter or Nova?

Nova is rated higher. Star Hunter averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.4K ratings, while Nova averages 4.7 from 4K ratings.

### Do Star Hunter or Nova have ads?

Neither Star Hunter nor Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Hunter or Nova?

Star Hunter ships an update weekly, and Nova every 3 weeks. Most recently, Star Hunter was updated on November 1, 2026 and Nova on November 1, 2026.

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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.*