# Spaceward Ho! vs Star Traders

The clearest difference is chart position: Star Traders at #53 against Spaceward Ho!'s unranked. Star Traders also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (674 vs 95). Spaceward Ho!'s advantage is price ($4.99 vs $6.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.1). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Spaceward Ho! costs $4.99 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 — 4.6 for Spaceward Ho! against 4.6 for Star Traders. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Star Traders has 674 ratings behind it against 95, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Spaceward Ho!'s written reviews are positive against 73% of Star Traders's.

Spaceward Ho! ships an update every 6 weeks, Star Traders every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spaceward Ho! | Star Traders |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $6.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceward-ho/id510527152/reviews)** | [4.6 (674 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 95 | **674** |
| Positive reviews | **78.6% of reviews** | 73.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#53** |
| Size | 25 MB | 316 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ariton](https://appshunter.io/developer/493802606) | [Trese Brothers](https://appshunter.io/developer/528949265) |

## What reviewers say

### Spaceward Ho!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceward-ho/id510527152)

Command a spacefaring civilization to explore, colonize, and conquer the galaxy. Develop technologies, manage resources, and lead your starship fleets in strategic battles against alien adversaries. Forge alliances or dominate the cosmos to determine the fate of the galaxy.

**Highlights:** Galaxy exploration and colonization, Empire and economy management, Technology development, Starship fleet combat, Diplomacy with alien races, Resource mining and terraforming

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⏰ Timeless gameplay still engaging after 30+ years
- 📱 Works well on modern iOS devices despite age
- 🎮 Faithful port of classic Mac game
- 🎯 Simple yet deep strategy mechanics
- 😄 Includes original sound effects and Easter eggs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
- 📐 UI feels clunky and dated
- 🔍 Small icons and buttons difficult to tap accurately
- 📊 Missing comparison graphs from original version
- 🎯 Planet icons remain too large when zoomed out

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when ending turn while winning
- Crashes on iOS 14+ due to security checks
- Audio issues on Mac with Apple Silicon
- Dreadnoughts disappear when mixed with tankers in delayed fleets
- Some planets get stuck and won't terraform or mine

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer support (most frequently requested)
- WiFi/Bluetooth multiplayer with friends
- Game Center integration for multiplayer
- Save/load game functionality for save-scumming
- Ability to rename planets and ships


### Star Traders

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

**Currently charting:** #53 Top Paid · Role Playing, #95 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 Spaceward Ho! free?

Spaceward Ho! costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Star Traders free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spaceward Ho! or Star Traders?

Spaceward Ho! is rated higher. Spaceward Ho! averages 4.6 out of 5 from 95 ratings, while Star Traders averages 4.6 from 674 ratings.

### Do Spaceward Ho! or Star Traders have ads?

Neither Spaceward Ho! nor Star Traders shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spaceward Ho! or Star Traders?

Spaceward Ho! ships an update every 6 weeks, and Star Traders every 3 weeks. Most recently, Spaceward Ho! was updated on November 1, 2026 and Star Traders on November 6, 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.*