# Nova vs ChromaLab

The clearest difference is ads: Nova at none against ChromaLab's shown. ChromaLab's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nova sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and ChromaLab sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, ChromaLab every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nova | ChromaLab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 2.0 GB | 204 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [STONE3 PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571450884) | [Sylvain Ainama](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884730026) |

## What reviewers say

### Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Daily Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack III | $5.99 | one-time |
| Medium Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Large Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Prime Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 1 | $39.99 | one-time |
| Huge Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 2 | $54.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack II | $69.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack | $79.99 | one-time |
| Epic Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### ChromaLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chromalab/id6760504351)

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1,000 coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1500 loyalty points | $0.99 | one-time |
| 3,000 coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5000 loyalty points | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Gold theme | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Plasma theme | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Inferno theme | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Holographic theme | $2.99 | one-time |
| Battle pass with exclusive rewards | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Arctic theme | $2.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle:Gold,Plasma,Inferno | $2.99 | one-time |
| 8,000 coins | $3.99 | one-time |
| Elite Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nova free?

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

### Is ChromaLab free?

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

### Do Nova or ChromaLab have ads?

ChromaLab shows ads; Nova does not.

### Which is updated more often, Nova or ChromaLab?

Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, and ChromaLab every 2 days. Most recently, Nova was updated on October 30, 2026 and ChromaLab 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.*