# Starbase Orion vs Star Traders

The clearest difference is update cadence: Star Traders at every 3 weeks against Starbase Orion's every 3 months. Star Traders also leads on chart position (#49 vs unranked) and price ($6.99 vs $7.99). Starbase Orion's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 73%). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Starbase Orion costs $7.99 and Star Traders $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Starbase Orion against 4.6 for Star Traders. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 329 and 674 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Starbase Orion's written reviews are positive against 73% of Star Traders's.

Starbase Orion ships an update every 3 months, Star Traders every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starbase Orion | Star Traders |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **$6.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (329 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starbase-orion/id438375580/reviews)** | [4.6 (674 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 329 | **674** |
| Positive reviews | **81.3% of reviews** | 73.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#49** |
| Size | 239 MB | 316 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.2** | 12.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Chimera Software, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/347752625) | [Trese Brothers](https://appshunter.io/developer/528949265) |

## What reviewers say

### Starbase Orion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starbase-orion/id438375580)

Engage in a deep 4X space strategy experience. Explore, expand, and conquer the galaxy by colonizing worlds, designing ships, and outmaneuvering opponents in turn-based combat. Features a robust AI and multiplayer options for galactic domination.

**Highlights:** Explore new worlds, Expand your empire, Exterminate rivals, Design custom ships, Engage in turn-based combat, Diplomacy and espionage, Multiplayer via GameCenter

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent 4x strategy game
- 👍 Faithful recreation of Master of Orion
- 🚀 Continuously updated with new features
- 👍 Vibrant player community
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay and intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Limited diplomacy and foreign relations
- 🔍 Automated combat lacks depth
- 🔍 Repetitive late-game experience
- 🔍 Outdated visuals

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and save file corruption
- UI issues with overlapping text and unresponsive controls
- Multiplayer matchmaking and connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- More ship classes and customization options
- Expanded tech tree and research system
- Deeper diplomacy and espionage mechanics
- Manual control of ship combat
- Improved end-game content and victory conditions


### Star Traders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232)

**Currently charting:** #49 Top Paid · Role Playing, #96 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Command your own starship and crew in a vast, procedurally generated open universe. Forge your path as a pirate, merchant, bounty hunter, or explorer, influencing factions and shaping your crew through your choices in this epic sci-fi RPG.

**Highlights:** Open universe exploration, Multiple captain careers (26 jobs), Spaceship customization (350+ upgrades), Crew assembly and talent management, Dynamic narrative and faction influence, Crew molding based on player choices, Varied difficulty options including permadeath

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Impressive depth and complexity
- 🌍 Vast open-world with endless possibilities
- 🔍 Engaging story and lore
- 🤖 Diverse gameplay options (trading, exploration, combat, etc.)
- 🕹️ Satisfying ship and crew management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Steep learning curve, lacks clear tutorials
- 🔍 Repetitive or tedious aspects in late game
- 📱 UI/UX issues on smaller mobile devices
- 🎲 Frustrating RNG elements and difficulty spikes
- 🔒 Lack of cloud save functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crew combat screen UI issues causing accidental input
- Reputation/faction system bugs leading to unexpected outcomes
- Crashes and freezes when navigating certain screens
- Inconsistent behavior with ship component upgrades

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize ship colors and appearances
- Option to command/control multiple ships as a fleet
- More end-game content and progression systems
- Improved UI scaling and optimization for larger screens
- Cloud save/sync functionality across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starbase Orion free?

Starbase Orion costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Star Traders free?

Star Traders costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starbase Orion or Star Traders?

Starbase Orion is rated higher. Starbase Orion averages 4.7 out of 5 from 329 ratings, while Star Traders averages 4.6 from 674 ratings.

### Do Starbase Orion or Star Traders have ads?

Neither Starbase Orion nor Star Traders shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starbase Orion or Star Traders?

Starbase Orion ships an update every 3 months, and Star Traders every 3 weeks. Most recently, Starbase Orion was updated on October 29, 2026 and Star Traders on October 29, 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.*