# Space Borders vs Nova

The clearest difference is price: Nova at Free against Space Borders's $1.99. Nova also leads on ratings volume (3.9K vs 167). Space Borders's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 58%). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Nova is free to download; Space Borders costs $1.99 up front. Space Borders sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Nova sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Space Borders against 4.7 for Nova. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nova has 3.9K ratings behind it against 167, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Space Borders's written reviews are positive against 58% of Nova's.

Space Borders ships an update every 2 months, Nova every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Borders | Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (167 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-borders-alien-encounter/id490625226/reviews) | [4.7 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 167 | **3.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 58.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 166 MB | 2.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Amasis Brauch](https://appshunter.io/developer/490625369) | [STONE3 PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571450884) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Borders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-borders-alien-encounter/id490625226)

Command a fleet of starships in a real-time strategy war against hostile aliens. Build your armada, harvest resources, and use tactical formations and superweapons to protect Earth and its colonies from annihilation.

**Highlights:** Real-time strategy gameplay, Build and customize fleet (15 ship types), Resource harvesting and upgrades, Tactical ship formations, Superweapons and special powers, Campaign, Survival, and Sandbox modes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Conquest Mode | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent RTS gameplay mechanics
- 💰 No pay-to-win or microtransactions
- 🎨 Charming 2D graphics and visual style
- ⚙️ Deep fleet customization options
- 📱 Works smoothly on older devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes during missions
- 💾 No save/checkpoint system for long missions
- 🎨 Cartoony graphics in newer versions
- 🤖 Poor AI behavior
- ⏱️ Missions are very long without breaks

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes mid-mission with no progress recovery
- Save file corruption and rollback after updates
- Mission failure without clear cause or visibility
- Resource disappearance between campaign episodes
- Harvester ships launching into enemy fire

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer or online gameplay
- Sequel or major expansion
- Additional campaign missions and episodes
- More ship types and varieties
- More turret and weapon options


### Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-space-armada/id1571450882)

Build and command your own space station and fleet in a chaotic galaxy. Forge alliances, explore new worlds, and engage in strategic space battles to shape the future of the sector. Your decisions will determine the fate of the galaxy.

**Highlights:** Build and customize space stations, Assemble modular warship fleets, Form intergalactic alliances, Explore and investigate the sector, Engage in strategic space battles, Uncover galactic mysteries

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Daily Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack III | $5.99 | one-time |
| Medium Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Large Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Prime Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 1 | $39.99 | one-time |
| Huge Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Development Pack 2 | $54.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack II | $69.99 | one-time |
| Limited Pack | $79.99 | one-time |
| Epic Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun, addictive gameplay
- 👍 Decent progression without paying
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and atmosphere
- 💡 Interesting ship building and customization
- 🌟 Engaging strategy elements

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🕰️ Slow progression and grindy gameplay
- 💰 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🧠 Steep learning curve, lacking tutorials
- 🤖 Weak and repetitive combat system

**Reported bugs**

- Account loss and data reset issues
- Inability to load game or access certain features
- Bugs in alliance and multiplayer functionality
- Glitches in ship assembly and upgrade process

**Requested features**

- More in-depth storyline and narrative
- Improved tutorial and onboarding experience
- Ability to control ships directly in combat
- Better balance between free-to-play and paid progression
- More diverse and challenging PvE content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Borders free?

Space Borders costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Nova free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Space Borders or Nova?

Space Borders and Nova are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 167 and 3.9K ratings respectively.

### Do Space Borders or Nova have ads?

Neither Space Borders nor Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Borders or Nova?

Space Borders ships an update every 2 months, and Nova every 3 weeks. Most recently, Space Borders was updated on October 14, 2026 and Nova on October 18, 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.*