# Ark Nova vs Light Speed

The clearest difference is price: Light Speed at Free against Ark Nova's $10.99. Light Speed also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 73%). Ark Nova's advantage is ratings volume (1.3K vs 8) and chart position (#38 vs unranked). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Light Speed is free to download; Ark Nova costs $10.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Light Speed holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.3K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Ark Nova's written reviews are positive against 100% of Light Speed's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ark Nova | Light Speed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $10.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-speed-arena/id6475763980/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#38** | — |
| Size | 682 MB | 222 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) | [TABLESCOPE GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725101300) |

## What reviewers say

### Ark Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Paid · Board, #108 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Design and manage a modern zoo to support global conservation efforts. Build enclosures, house animals, and utilize unique cards for special abilities. Compete to create the most successful zoological establishment.

**Highlights:** Plan and design a modern zoo, Build enclosures and accommodate animals, Support global conservation projects, Utilize 255 unique cards (animals, specialists, projects), Upgrade action cards for gameplay, Increase zoo appeal and scientific reputation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great implementation overall
- 👍 Lots of fun
- 👍 Good animations
- 👍 Choice of modes
- 👍 Clean, modern and enjoyable design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tile placement/rotation issues on iPad
- 🐛 Building placement UI issues
- 👎 Difficult to read board state on mobile
- 👎 Lack of simultaneous view for key game info
- 👎 Cumbersome to create games with friends

**Reported bugs**

- iPad Flash exit issue
- Rewards screen being blocked by other UI elements

**Requested features**

- Option to enable larger UI buttons for modal panels
- Full screen mode
- Option to reverse zoom direction
- Improved card readability/zoom


### Light Speed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-speed-arena/id6475763980)

This companion app enhances a physical board game by visualizing and resolving battles through photos. It requires the physical game and an internet connection to function.

**Highlights:** Battle visualization, Battle resolution, Photo analysis, Companion app functionality

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ark Nova free?

Ark Nova costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Light Speed free?

Light Speed is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ark Nova or Light Speed?

Light Speed is rated higher. Ark Nova averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Light Speed averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Ark Nova or Light Speed have ads?

Neither Ark Nova nor Light Speed shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ark Nova or Light Speed?

Ark Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, and Light Speed every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ark Nova was updated on November 6, 2026 and Light Speed on November 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*