# NOVA Elements vs U.S. Army STARS Elements

The clearest difference is rating: U.S. Army STARS Elements at 4.7 against NOVA Elements's 4.1. U.S. Army STARS Elements also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and device support (3 vs 1). NOVA Elements's advantage is ratings volume (254 vs 18) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

U.S. Army STARS Elements holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NOVA Elements has 254 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of NOVA Elements's written reviews are positive against 100% of U.S. Army STARS Elements's.

NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, U.S. Army STARS Elements every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NOVA Elements | U.S. Army STARS Elements |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (254 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649/reviews) | **[4.7 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/us-army-stars-elements/id1103901837/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **254** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 513 MB | 213 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [Army Game Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/540858534) |

## What reviewers say

### NOVA Elements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649)

Explore the periodic table and understand element properties. Learn how elements combine to form everyday objects through interactive games and educational videos.

**Highlights:** Interactive periodic table, Learn element properties, Understand element combinations, Educational game, NOVA program access

**In-app purchases:** none


### U.S. Army STARS Elements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/us-army-stars-elements/id1103901837)

Explore the world of chemistry with interactive tools to build atoms, learn chemical bonds, and discover elements. Test your knowledge with engaging challenges designed for students, teachers, and enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Atom Builder, SmashBond game, Interactive Periodic Table, STARS Challenge quiz, 3D atom construction, Bohr's model visualization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NOVA Elements free?

NOVA Elements is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is U.S. Army STARS Elements free?

U.S. Army STARS Elements is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NOVA Elements or U.S. Army STARS Elements?

U.S. Army STARS Elements is rated higher. NOVA Elements averages 4.1 out of 5 from 254 ratings, while U.S. Army STARS Elements averages 4.7 from 18 ratings.

### Do NOVA Elements or U.S. Army STARS Elements have ads?

Neither NOVA Elements nor U.S. Army STARS Elements shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NOVA Elements or U.S. Army STARS Elements?

NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, and U.S. Army STARS Elements every 8 months. Most recently, NOVA Elements was updated on October 3, 2026 and U.S. Army STARS Elements on October 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.*