# Dactyl vs Sidius Nova

The clearest difference is rating: Dactyl at 5.0 against Sidius Nova's 4.4. Dactyl also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.0). Sidius Nova's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sidius Nova sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Dactyl asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dactyl holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 49 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Dactyl's written reviews are positive against 84% of Sidius Nova's.

Dactyl ships an update every 9 months, Sidius Nova every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dactyl | Sidius Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dactyl/id283909107/reviews)** | [4.4 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidius-nova/id585665931/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 22 | **49** |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 84.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Mauvila Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/283077002) | [Stefan Schmitt](https://appshunter.io/developer/585665935) |

## What reviewers say

### Dactyl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dactyl/id283909107)

This is a fast-paced game designed to test and improve finger dexterity. Players must quickly defuse virtual bombs before they explode, requiring focus and quick reflexes. It offers a simple yet addictive challenge for those looking to exercise their fingers.

**Highlights:** Finger dexterity test, Fast-paced gameplay, Bomb defusal challenge, Focus and reflex training, Addictive gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive and fun
- 👍 Simple yet engaging gameplay
- 🚀 Great time-killer
- 👍 Challenging and tests reflexes
- 👍 Competitive with friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sensitive background causes unintended losses
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty settings or levels
- 🔍 No online leaderboards or global high scores

**Reported bugs**

- Game ending when touching background
- Occasional crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Difficulty settings or levels
- Online leaderboards and global high scores
- Pause button or option to save progress


### Sidius Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidius-nova/id585665931)

Lead your species to survival after a homeworld destruction. Collect resources, build ships, and engage in epic space battles. Choose to play as humans or an alien armada, unlocking new ships and strategies as you conquer galaxies.

**Highlights:** Resource collection, Ship building, Epic space battles, Playable factions (humans/aliens), Unlockable ships, Galactic conquest

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Genius (RP earned x2) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Laboratory (8,000 RP) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Singularity (Unlock Everything) | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Amazing soundtrack/music
- 🎨 Beautiful/great graphics/art
- 🎮 Addictive/fun gameplay
- 🧠 Deep strategy/gameplay
- 👍 Polished/well-designed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Repetitive gameplay loop
- 🐌 Slow gameplay/pace
- 📉 Lacks strategic depth
- 🤖 AI can be unfair/cheats
- 🤷‍♂️ Bland gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashing
- Repeated crashing during combat
- Crashing when fighting mothership
- Game progress not syncing between devices
- App leaves residual files after uninstallation

**Requested features**

- Add multiplayer/hot seat/skirmish
- Add longer single player campaign
- Add more frequent dialogue
- Add meaningful player-driven plot choices
- Add 'back' button for dialogue


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dactyl free?

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

### Is Sidius Nova free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dactyl or Sidius Nova?

Dactyl is rated higher. Dactyl averages 5.0 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Sidius Nova averages 4.4 from 49 ratings.

### Do Dactyl or Sidius Nova have ads?

Neither Dactyl nor Sidius Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dactyl or Sidius Nova?

Dactyl ships an update every 9 months, and Sidius Nova every 3 months. Most recently, Dactyl was updated on October 7, 2026 and Sidius Nova on October 6, 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.*