Comparison

Nova vs Foundation

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Nova

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
Read full description

-An Imposing Republican Space Station- In the dark and dangerous void, your imposing space station will be your haven and base. Complete Republican Orders and adjust your strategic deployment regularly. A powerful space station will be your first step toward the conquest of the galaxy. -Unstoppable Space Armada- Select wisely among various warship blueprints. Forge your unique fleets with modular designs and assembling systems. Plan out your strategic options carefully and join in unprecedented space battles. Your choice will affect the outcome of every battle you’ll fight in. -Establish Your Intergalactic Alliance- After the “Supernova Event”, the whole Renney Sector is in deep turmoil. In this chaotic state, you need to build a powerful intergalactic Alliance with the people you trust most. The future of the Renney Sector now depends on your cooperation. -Endless Stars Endless Stories- Send out your fleets to explore and investigate the sector. Witness whimsical stories and the impressing intergalactic epic. -And More- A Dyson Sphere is now available for takeover in “Goliath Galaxy”, the truth behind the “Supernova Event” is still lying in the dimming void. The Republic and the Coterminal have gone silent since the universal cataclysm. You and your Alliance will decide the future of the Renney Sector. Will you use your unchallengeable diplomatic mind to reach your strategic goal? Or are you planning to expand your territory with bloodshed? An interstellar journey unlike any other is about to unfold. SUPPORT Email us at support@gamestone3.com

About

Foundation

Embark on an epic sci-fi adventure in a falling Galactic Empire. Command your starship, explore uncharted space, and dominate a saga blending deep strategy with intense action. Uncover secrets, build your fleet, and shape the future of humanity.

Highlights
  • Interstellar trader/bounty hunter/political strategist role
  • Cinematic narrative events reacting to player choices
  • Mothership construction and customization
  • Crew management and bonding
  • Space exploration with landing shooter combats
  • Fleet construction and RTS galaxy wars
  • Alliance participation in interstellar conflicts
Features
Read full description

(This game includes in-game purchases (including random items).) Ignite engines, buckle up, and now dive into the epic sci-fi universe of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation—the beloved novels that also inspired the acclaimed Apple TV+ series. As the Galactic Empire falls, new factions rise. The fate of humanity is in your hands. Command your starship, explore uncharted space, and dominate this sci-fi saga blending deep strategy with intense action! Immersive Story: The Master Trader's Galactic Odyssey -Play a unique role as an interstellar trader/bounty hunter/political strategist navigating between the Empire, Foundation, other factions and rebels, uncovering the secrets of Seldon’s Plan and confronting with the mysterious enemy the Mule. -Experience cinematic narrative events that react to your decisions — your choices may shape the future of the galaxy. Mothership Simulation: A Sweet Space Home -Construct your spaceship! Build different cabins to offer everything you need to survive: food, water recyclers, and oxygen farms... With cannons armed on, it's time to pilot your mobile space haven into the blue sky! -Foster bonds with your crew, handle emergencies together and breathe life into ship. Every daily greeting adds a little more belonging to your adventures through space. Star Crew: A Band of Vagabonds -Encounter heroes of various backgrounds and appearances in space and invite them onboard: a robot with encyclopedic knowledge but misses sarcasm, the legendary space cowboy, even the most wanted criminal.... Roam the cosmos together and write your legend among the stars! Space Exploration: Thrilling Landing Shooter Combats -Go explore the galaxy freely, discover tons of floating space ruins and fascinating planets, and get ready for a breathtaking landing battle to unlock hidden secrets! -Deploy 3-hero strike teams in dynamic landing missions, with various strategic combinations to spark their potential! Use precise control and tactical prowess to overcome alien threats. Galaxy Wars: A Rising Trade Empire -Construct a variety of combat crafts and strategize your fleet formation to exploit and protect your galaxy's trade routes from threats and rivals. -Join powerful alliances and showcase your RTS skills in large-scale interstellar conflicts. Rise as a dominant force in the galactic economy. EMBARK NOW! Within the Foundation universe: Write Your Sci-Fi Legend • Build your Ideal Flagship • Build Trade Networks • Command Elite Fleets • Forge Your Galactic Destiny!

Screenshots

Nova4 screens
Foundation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: Foundation at #18 against Nova's unranked. Foundation also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Nova sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and Foundation sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Nova against 4.6 for Foundation. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.9K and 8.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Nova's written reviews are positive against 62% of Foundation's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, Foundation fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Nova versus Foundation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNovaFoundation
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.9K ratings) — better4.6 (8.5K ratings)
Positive reviews58.4% of reviews61.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.9K8.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#18 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2.1 GB3.6 GB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperSTONE3 PTE. LTD.FunPlus International AG

Customer experience

Nova

All ratings3,896 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews733 reviews
Positive58.4%
Neutral7.5%
Negative34.1%

Foundation

All ratings8,491 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral1.4%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews1,889 reviews
Positive61.6%
Neutral6.6%
Negative31.8%

User reviews

Nova

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Foundation

From 8.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great game
  • 🚀 Awesome gameplay
  • 👍 Brings back the show
  • 👍 Fun and interactive
  • 👍 Visually fantastic

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Buggy and unstable
  • 💰 Heavily monetized
  • 🤖 Questionable use of AI
  • 🤷‍♀️ Doesn't match the ads

Bugs and requests

Nova

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Foundation

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Game freezes during tutorial
  • Crashes after completing first chapter
  • Frequent disconnections

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add Russian language support
  • Improve performance on older devices
  • Reduce in-game monetization

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Nova

One-time16
  • Tiny Pack$0.99
  • Special Pack$1.99
  • Daily Pack$2.99
Show 13 more
  • Bonus Pack$4.99
  • Limited Pack III$5.99
  • Medium Pack$9.99
  • Value Pack$14.99
  • Large Pack$19.99
  • Prime Pack$19.99
  • Value Pack$29.99
  • Development Pack 1$39.99
  • Huge Pack$49.99
  • Development Pack 2$54.99
  • Limited Pack II$69.99
  • Limited Pack$79.99
  • Epic Pack$99.99
9 purchases

Foundation

One-time9
  • Purchase Packs$0.99
  • Purchase Packs$1.99
  • Purchase Packs$2.99
Show 6 more
  • Purchase Packs2 variants$4.99
  • Purchase Packs2 variants$9.99
  • Purchase Packs$19.99
  • Purchase Packs$29.99
  • Purchase Packs$49.99
  • Purchase Packs2 variants$99.99

Questions

Is Nova free?
Nova is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Foundation free?
Foundation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Nova or Foundation?
Nova is rated higher. Nova averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Foundation averages 4.6 from 8.5K ratings.
Do Nova or Foundation have ads?
Neither Nova nor Foundation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nova or Foundation?
Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, and Foundation fortnightly. Most recently, Nova was updated on September 22, 2026 and Foundation on September 24, 2026.

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