Comparison

Flare Elite vs Starstrike Squadron

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

Head to head
About

Flare Elite

Engage in an action-packed space shooter with innovative gameplay. Explore lengthy campaigns, customize your ship with upgradable weapons, and navigate a stunning, interactive star map. Enjoy an original soundtrack that complements the intense space battles.

Highlights
  • Lengthy campaigns with 13 missions
  • Upgradable weapons and ship add-ons
  • Original retro soundtrack
  • Interactive touchable Star Map
  • Multiple difficulty levels
Features
Read full description

Join the Flare Elite in this action packed space shooter. Flare Elite significantly innovates on the genre, with features that have never been seen before. LENGTHY CAMPAIGNS WITH STUNNING ACTION The game contains three lengthy campaigns of varying difficulty, totaling to 13 challenging missions and providing hours of gameplay. Five different upgradable weapons and other ship add-ons create countless ways to play through the game. Each mission is filled with action and plenty of explosions. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Four original retro music tracks are included that match the action perfectly. They will be stuck in your head long after you have stopped playing. GORGEOUS STAR MAP Forget about those boring mission selection menus of other games. Flare Elite features a gorgeous touchable Star Map to navigate to your next mission, or to just leisurely float around in space. For more information, visit http://www.firigames.com/flare

About

Starstrike Squadron

Command a diverse squadron of pilots and ships in a 500-stage vertical space shooter campaign. Master arcade combat, break multi-phase bosses, and explore a vast war across the Solar System and beyond. Develop your fleet and uncover a compelling story.

Highlights
  • 500-stage vertical shooter campaign
  • Collect and upgrade 100 pilots
  • Master arcade space combat
  • Break multi-phase bosses
  • Explore story and side missions
  • Develop and upgrade your fleet
Read full description

Earth's frontier is breaking, and no single ace can save it. Command Starstrike Squadron: a growing alliance of pilots, engineers, defectors, and survivors drawn from Earth and the rival civilizations of nearby star systems. Fight through a 500-stage vertical-shooter campaign spanning the Solar System and neighboring stars. Dodge dense projectile patterns, break capital-ship defenses, destroy exposed boss cores, and deploy wingmates whose weapons and skills change the shape of every battle. BUILD A DIVERSE SQUADRON Discover 100 pilots with distinct portraits, ships, affinities, and combat roles. Former enemies can become trusted allies as the war expands beyond its original front. MASTER ARCADE SPACE COMBAT Switch between Vulcan, laser, and plasma weapon systems. Collect upgrades during battle, time active skills and ultimates, and keep your formation alive through escalating enemy waves. BREAK MULTI-PHASE BOSSES Target individual weak points, strip shields, survive phase changes, and bring down warships that fight like moving battlefields. EXPLORE THE WAR Follow an English story campaign, uncover side missions, revisit the pilot archive, and travel from lunar defenses to Mars, Proxima Centauri, Alpha Centauri, and the deeper stellar frontier. DEVELOP YOUR FLEET Upgrade ships and parts in the hangar, earn resources through play, complete missions and achievements, and shape a squadron built for your preferred combat style. The main campaign can be played offline. Game Center features and in-app purchases require an internet connection.

Screenshots

Flare Elite4 screens
Starstrike Squadron4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Starstrike Squadron at Free against Flare Elite's $0.99. Starstrike Squadron also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 84 months) and device support (4 vs 2). Flare Elite's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 2.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 10).

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

Starstrike Squadron is free to download; Flare Elite costs $0.99 up front. Starstrike Squadron sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Flare Elite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flare Elite holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Flare Elite ships an update every 84 months, Starstrike Squadron every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
Flare Elite versus Starstrike Squadron: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlare EliteStarstrike Squadron
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (4 ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews56.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 84 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS7.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB262 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperFiri GamesNetherfire Entertainment, Inc.

Customer experience

Flare Elite

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral21.7%
Negative21.7%

Starstrike Squadron

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Flare Elite

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Starstrike Squadron

One-time5
  • Supply Pack$14.99
  • Supply Pack2 variants$19.99
  • Supply Pack$29.99
Show 2 more
  • Supply Pack3 variants$49.99
  • Supply Pack3 variants$99.99

Questions

Is Flare Elite free?
Flare Elite costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Starstrike Squadron free?
Starstrike Squadron is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Flare Elite or Starstrike Squadron?
Flare Elite is rated higher. Flare Elite averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Starstrike Squadron averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Flare Elite or Starstrike Squadron have ads?
Starstrike Squadron shows ads; Flare Elite does not.
Which is updated more often, Flare Elite or Starstrike Squadron?
Flare Elite ships an update every 84 months, and Starstrike Squadron every 2 months. Most recently, Flare Elite was updated on November 6, 2026 and Starstrike Squadron on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons