# Space Ace vs Subnautica

The clearest difference is rating: Subnautica at 4.6 against Space Ace's 4.1. Subnautica also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 40). Space Ace's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $8.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Space Ace costs $4.99 and Subnautica $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Subnautica holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subnautica has 1.2K ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Space Ace's written reviews are positive against 82% of Subnautica's.

Space Ace ships an update every 6 months, Subnautica every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Ace | Subnautica |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [4.1 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-ace/id314133588/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subnautica/id6478639011/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 40 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 75.8% of reviews | **82.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#16** |
| Size | 2.1 GB | 2.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Dragon's Lair LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/314133591) | [Unknown Worlds](https://appshunter.io/developer/1733568374) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Ace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-ace/id314133588)

Embark on an interstellar adventure as the heroic Ace to thwart Commander Borf's plan to turn humanity into infants. Armed with a laser gun, you must rescue Kimberly, destroy the Infanto Ray, and save Earth from alien domination. Experience a legendary animated arcade game with stunning high-definition visuals.

**Highlights:** Pilot the heroic Ace, Battle Commander Borf, Rescue Kimberly, Destroy the Infanto Ray, High-definition visuals, Intuitive controls

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Arcade-perfect port
- 👍 Faithful to the original
- 🎨 Stunning animation and visuals
- 💾 Full game on mobile
- 🕹️ Responsive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Short gameplay duration
- 🤔 Challenging for new players
- 🔇 Sound issues/missing audio
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty settings not saved

**Reported bugs**

- Scenes not loading correctly
- Controls not registering inputs
- Game state not persisting after suspension

**Requested features**

- Watch full movie mode
- Adjustable sound/volume settings
- Improved difficulty scaling
- Compatibility updates for newer devices


### Subnautica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subnautica/id6478639011)

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Paid · Adventure, #32 Top Paid · Action, #85 Top Paid · Games, #134 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore a vast alien ocean planet, craft equipment, pilot submarines, and uncover mysteries to survive. This open-world adventure offers multiple game modes for different playstyles.

**Highlights:** Underwater exploration, Crafting and base building, Submarine piloting, Survival mechanics, Multiple game modes, Alien ocean planet setting

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Flawless performance
- 👍 Smooth UI and controls
- 🎨 Stunning graphics and visuals
- 🎮 Faithful mobile port of the original game
- 🔋 Good battery life

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🗺️ Issues with map chunk loading and creature spawns

**Reported bugs**

- Sound cuts out after using the seaglide
- Reapers and ghost leviathans not spawning properly

**Requested features**

- Support for iPad and Mac devices
- Improved integration with iOS features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Ace free?

Space Ace costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Subnautica free?

Subnautica costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Space Ace or Subnautica?

Subnautica is rated higher. Space Ace averages 4.1 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Subnautica averages 4.6 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Space Ace or Subnautica have ads?

Neither Space Ace nor Subnautica shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Ace or Subnautica?

Space Ace ships an update every 6 months, and Subnautica every 8 days. Most recently, Space Ace was updated on October 31, 2026 and Subnautica on November 1, 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.*