# Pocket Academy vs Sidius Nova

The clearest difference is price: Sidius Nova at Free against Pocket Academy's $5.99. Sidius Nova also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). Pocket Academy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Sidius Nova is free to download; Pocket Academy costs $5.99 up front. Sidius Nova sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Pocket Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Pocket Academy against 4.4 for Sidius Nova. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 142 and 49 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Pocket Academy's written reviews are positive against 84% of Sidius Nova's.

Pocket Academy ships an update every 9 months, Sidius Nova every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Academy | Sidius Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (142 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-academy/id432080204/reviews)** | [4.4 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidius-nova/id585665931/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **142** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | 81.1% of reviews | **84.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 73 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Kairosoft Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/381477233) | [Stefan Schmitt](https://appshunter.io/developer/585665935) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-academy/id432080204)

Design and manage your dream educational institution by building facilities, forming clubs, and organizing events. Nurture students to achieve their future goals and boost your school's reputation. Experience the ultimate school simulation.

**Highlights:** Build classrooms and facilities, Create and manage student clubs, Organize school events, Guide student career paths, Elevate school prestige, Switch between English and Japanese

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 🏫 Enjoyable school management experience
- 🎨 Cute and charming graphics
- 🔁 High replayability with different maps
- 🕰️ Can play offline without internet

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Difficult to earn money and stay out of debt
- 🤔 Lack of clear tutorial and guidance
- 🔒 Unable to move or delete placed facilities
- 🕰️ Slow progression in the early game
- 🤖 Teachers not always teaching effectively

**Reported bugs**

- Tuition fees sometimes deducted instead of added
- Certain facilities not unlocking as expected
- Occasional crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to control and interact with individual students
- More events, activities, and customization options
- Easier way to earn money and manage finances
- Improved tutorial and in-game guidance
- Option to move or delete placed facilities


### 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 Pocket Academy free?

Pocket Academy costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sidius Nova free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Academy or Sidius Nova?

Pocket Academy is rated higher. Pocket Academy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 142 ratings, while Sidius Nova averages 4.4 from 49 ratings.

### Do Pocket Academy or Sidius Nova have ads?

Neither Pocket Academy nor Sidius Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Academy or Sidius Nova?

Pocket Academy ships an update every 9 months, and Sidius Nova every 3 months. Most recently, Pocket Academy was updated on October 21, 2026 and Sidius Nova on October 16, 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.*