# Cavern Crawl vs Astro Defender

The clearest difference is rating: Cavern Crawl at 5.0 against Astro Defender's 4.0. Cavern Crawl also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 21) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Astro Defender sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. Cavern Crawl asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cavern Crawl holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 6 respectively.

Cavern Crawl ships an update every 2 days, Astro Defender every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cavern Crawl | Astro Defender |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cavern-crawl/id1508943585/reviews)** | [4.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-defender-alien-shooter/id6479370999/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 6 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 656 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ethan Feldman](https://appshunter.io/developer/858339922) | [Matteus Barhaido](https://appshunter.io/developer/1696503834) |

## What reviewers say

### Cavern Crawl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cavern-crawl/id1508943585)

Pilot a spaceship through a treacherous cavern, dodging obstacles and enemies. Collect orbs for points and fuel, and use rockets to defeat foes. Strategize your collection to maximize your score and survive the descent.

**Highlights:** Spaceship flight controls, Obstacle and enemy avoidance, Rocket shooting mechanics, Orb collection for points, Fuel management system, Invincibility power-up

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Astro Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-defender-alien-shooter/id6479370999)

Engage in classic arcade-style space combat with a 150-level campaign. Collect items, upgrade your ship and weapons, and recruit warriors to fight alien waves and epic bosses. Experience fast-paced action with responsive touch controls.

**Highlights:** 150-level campaign mode, Ship and weapon upgrades, Recruit space warriors, Collect in-game items, Epic boss fights, Responsive touch controls

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1x Revive Device | $0.99 | one-time |
| Normal Chest | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Star Dust | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small | $0.99 | one-time |
| Star Reactor Core | $1.99 | one-time |
| Epic Chest | $1.99 | one-time |
| Legendary Chest | $4.99 | one-time |
| 30 Star Dust | $4.99 | one-time |
| Craft Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plenty | $4.99 | one-time |
| 70 Star Dust | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bag | $9.99 | one-time |
| Onyx Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Chaos Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| 200 Star Dust | $24.99 | one-time |
| Box | $24.99 | one-time |
| Elite Bundle | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Annihilator Ship | $49.99 | one-time |
| 500 Star Dust | $49.99 | one-time |
| Boxes | $69.99 | one-time |
| Cargo | $139.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cavern Crawl free?

Cavern Crawl is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Astro Defender free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cavern Crawl or Astro Defender?

Cavern Crawl is rated higher. Cavern Crawl averages 5.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Astro Defender averages 4.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Cavern Crawl or Astro Defender have ads?

Astro Defender shows ads; Cavern Crawl does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cavern Crawl or Astro Defender?

Cavern Crawl ships an update every 2 days, and Astro Defender every 4 days. Most recently, Cavern Crawl was updated on October 24, 2026 and Astro Defender 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.*