# lava digger vs Space Squad Survival

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: lava digger at none against Space Squad Survival's 6. lava digger also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Space Squad Survival's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 9). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Space Squad Survival sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. lava digger asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for lava digger against 4.7 for Space Squad Survival. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Space Squad Survival has 1.2K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of lava digger's written reviews are positive against 85% of Space Squad Survival's.

lava digger ships an update every 5 weeks, Space Squad Survival every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | lava digger | Space Squad Survival |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lava-digger-fun-mining-game/id1498494976/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-squad-survival/id6742790136/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **84.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 157 MB | 325 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [霖 丁](https://appshunter.io/developer/1498494975) | [Cezary Rajkowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/449740164) |

## What reviewers say

### lava digger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lava-digger-fun-mining-game/id1498494976)

Embark on an underground adventure collecting ore and upgrading your drill chariot. Explore diverse environments, overcome obstacles, and assemble powerful harvesters to uncover endless treasures. Become the ultimate driver in this mining exploration game.

**Highlights:** Drill chariot driving, Ore collection, Harvester upgrades, Underground exploration, Obstacle challenges, Component assembly

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Space Squad Survival

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-squad-survival/id6742790136)

Command your spaceship and crew to survive in the vastness of space. Explore planets, manage resources, hunt alien creatures, and battle ruthless pirates to ensure your squad's survival. Your strategic decisions are key to overcoming the challenges of the cosmos.

**Highlights:** Ship Management, Hunting Alien Creatures, Planet Exploration, Battling Space Pirates, Building and Development

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pinch of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starterpaket | $3.99 | one-time |
| Stack of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hoard of Gems | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great graphics and gameplay
- 👍 Fun and creative idea
- 👍 Surprisingly fun and fast-paced
- 👍 Progression is good
- 👍 Crew helps on missions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Controls are difficult and frustrating
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🐛 Lack of explanations and tutorials
- 🐛 Enemies attack too frequently
- 🐛 Difficulty identifying ship damage

**Reported bugs**

- Saved game not syncing between devices
- Camera issues
- Shooting system needs improvement

**Requested features**

- Add an endless mode without a timer
- Allow redesigning the ship at will
- Implement ship-to-ship battles
- Add more destructible elements
- Support gamepad controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is lava digger free?

lava digger is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Space Squad Survival free?

Space Squad Survival is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, lava digger or Space Squad Survival?

Space Squad Survival is rated higher. lava digger averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Space Squad Survival averages 4.7 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do lava digger or Space Squad Survival have ads?

Space Squad Survival shows ads; lava digger does not.

### Which is updated more often, lava digger or Space Squad Survival?

lava digger ships an update every 5 weeks, and Space Squad Survival every 4 days. Most recently, lava digger was updated on October 24, 2026 and Space Squad Survival on October 24, 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.*