# Sonar Islands vs Zero Hour Assault

The clearest difference is monetization model: Zero Hour Assault at free against Sonar Islands's subscription. Zero Hour Assault also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (86% vs 60%). Sonar Islands's advantage is ratings volume (83 vs 10) and iOS requirement (12.5 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sonar Islands sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Zero Hour Assault sells 20 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Zero Hour Assault holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonar Islands has 83 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Sonar Islands's written reviews are positive against 86% of Zero Hour Assault's.

Sonar Islands ships an update every 2 months, Zero Hour Assault every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sonar Islands | Zero Hour Assault |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonar-islands/id1554817644/reviews) | **[4.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zero-hour-assault/id6755047280/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **83** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 60.1% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 288 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.5** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hansjoerg Mikesch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422421759) | [NBM DIGITAL LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851515419) |

## What reviewers say

### Sonar Islands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonar-islands/id1554817644)

Embark on an audio-driven multiplayer adventure across 14 unique islands. Build your empire, explore diverse environments from ancient temples to volcanic landscapes, and engage in various challenges. Full game access requires a subscription.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer online gameplay, Audio-driven events, Empire building, Island exploration and development, Diverse island themes, Tutorial and story modes

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access - monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Full Access - yearly | $29.49 | per year |
| 100 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 500 Diamonds | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Diamonds | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Immersive audio experience
- 👍 Accessible for blind users
- 🎨 Fantastic sound design
- ⭐ Engaging gameplay
- 🕹️ Intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model required to access full game
- 🔇 Repetitive voice acting
- 🕰️ Slow progression without paying
- 🤖 Unresponsive controls at times
- 🔍 Lack of clear in-game instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Compass and navigation issues with iOS 16
- Incorrect Morse code in tutorial
- Inconsistent audio cues

**Requested features**

- Additional free islands to explore
- Option to purchase game outright instead of subscription
- More varied event types and challenges
- Ability to customize islands
- Support for multiple languages


### Zero Hour Assault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zero-hour-assault/id6755047280)

An audio-only first-person shooter designed for blind and visually impaired players. Experience intense online combat, diverse game modes, and tactical gameplay entirely through sound. Features include a persistent open-world PvP map, base building, and an extensive arsenal of weapons and gadgets.

**Highlights:** Audio-only gameplay, Diverse game modes (Battle Royale, Zombie Survival, Knife Fight), Persistent open-world PvP, Base building and defense, Tactical combat mechanics, Extensive arsenal and gadgets, Integrated voice chat

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

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Experience boost, 1 hour | $0.99 | one-time |
| Title pack: Veteran | $1.49 | one-time |
| 50 event points | $2.49 | one-time |
| backpacks level3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 100 event points | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gold token pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| KelTecP318 | $6.99 | one-time |
| 250 event points | $11.99 | one-time |
| platinum token pack | $12.99 | one-time |
| All four character voices | $14.99 | one-time |
| paid account 1 month | $14.99 | one-time |
| 500 event points | $23.99 | one-time |
| hex | $24.99 | one-time |
| supreme | $24.99 | one-time |
| Master token pack | $25.99 | one-time |
| paid account 3 month | $44.95 | one-time |
| 1000 event points | $47.99 | one-time |
| lord | $59.99 | one-time |
| paid account 6 month | $89.90 | one-time |
| paid account 12 month | $179.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sonar Islands free?

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

### Is Zero Hour Assault free?

Zero Hour Assault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sonar Islands or Zero Hour Assault?

Zero Hour Assault is rated higher. Sonar Islands averages 3.5 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while Zero Hour Assault averages 4.0 from 10 ratings.

### Do Sonar Islands or Zero Hour Assault have ads?

Neither Sonar Islands nor Zero Hour Assault shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sonar Islands or Zero Hour Assault?

Sonar Islands ships an update every 2 months, and Zero Hour Assault every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sonar Islands was updated on October 22, 2026 and Zero Hour Assault 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.*