# Barnard's Star vs Tower Defense

The clearest difference is price: Tower Defense at Free against Barnard's Star's $3.99. Tower Defense also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 weeks). Barnard's Star's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and chart position (#200 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Tower Defense is free to download; Barnard's Star costs $3.99 up front. Tower Defense sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Barnard's Star asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barnard's Star ships an update every 4 weeks, Tower Defense every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barnard's Star | Tower Defense |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barnards-star/id1556427846/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **46** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#200** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pollywog Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1383938094) | [Jonathan Taveras](https://appshunter.io/developer/1270478820) |

## What reviewers say

### Barnard's Star

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

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

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


### Tower Defense

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tower-defense-void/id6762655620)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Standard Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pro Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Elite Pack | $69.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barnard's Star free?

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

### Is Tower Defense free?

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

### Do Barnard's Star or Tower Defense have ads?

Neither Barnard's Star nor Tower Defense shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barnard's Star or Tower Defense?

Barnard's Star ships an update every 4 weeks, and Tower Defense every 3 days. Most recently, Barnard's Star was updated on October 16, 2026 and Tower Defense on October 2, 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.*