# Space Out vs Barrel Defender

The clearest difference is update cadence: Space Out at every 2 months against Barrel Defender's every 39 months. Space Out also leads on rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (16 vs 1). Barrel Defender's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 77%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Space Out costs $0.99 and Barrel Defender $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Space Out holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Space Out has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Space Out's written reviews are positive against 100% of Barrel Defender's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Space Out ships an update every 2 months, Barrel Defender every 39 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Out | Barrel Defender |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-out/id285915267/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrel-defender-galaxy/id321991078/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 77.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 39 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#195** | — |
| Size | 14 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.6** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Danny Bliss](https://appshunter.io/developer/1866784316) | [Stefan Preuss](https://appshunter.io/developer/307563428) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Out

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-out/id285915267)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Paid · Casual (US App Store)

Experience a retro arcade game that combines classic space shooter and brick-breaking mechanics. Enjoy authentic 8-bit sound effects and speech synthesis for an immersive blast from the past.

**Highlights:** Space shooter gameplay, Brick breaking mechanics, Retro arcade feel, 8-bit sound effects, Speech synthesis, Digital Crown control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great retro feel
- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Fun mashup of classics
- 👍 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Good for passing time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unplayable on iPhone X
- 🐛 Game plays too fast on iPhone X
- 🐛 Too easy on iPhone, long duration
- 🐛 Controls can be tricky
- 🐛 Paddle sometimes freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on Apple Watch Series 4
- Game plays 2x faster after pausing on iPhone X
- Unplayable on iPhone X
- App freezes on iPad after update
- Stopped opening day after purchase

**Requested features**

- High score list (not just highest)
- Online daily/weekly/all-time high score lists
- Separate iPhone and Watch lists
- Settings for shooting on/off
- Volume control


### Barrel Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barrel-defender-galaxy/id321991078)

Defend your energy barrels from alien invaders in this retro arcade space shooter. Enjoy simple, intuitive controls and blast through waves of enemies with various weapons and challenging boss fights.

**Highlights:** Two game modes: endless and wave, 25 alien-filled waves, Variety of aliens and movement patterns, Boss enemy battles, Weapon power-ups, Easy finger-slide controls

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Out free?

Space Out costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Barrel Defender free?

Barrel Defender costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Space Out or Barrel Defender?

Space Out is rated higher. Space Out averages 4.3 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Barrel Defender averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Space Out or Barrel Defender have ads?

Neither Space Out nor Barrel Defender shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Out or Barrel Defender?

Space Out ships an update every 2 months, and Barrel Defender every 39 months. Most recently, Space Out was updated on October 27, 2026 and Barrel Defender on October 23, 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.*