# Ark Nova vs Abducktion

The clearest difference is price: Abducktion at Free against Ark Nova's $10.99. Abducktion also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 73%) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). Ark Nova's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 12). On in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Abducktion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.2K ratings behind it against 12, 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 Abducktion's.

Ark Nova ships an update fortnightly, Abducktion every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ark Nova | Abducktion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $10.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews) | **[5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abducktion/id6757611683/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 682 MB | 166 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) | [Very Special Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867839343) |

## What reviewers say

### Ark Nova

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

**Currently charting:** #37 Top Paid · Board, #116 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


### Abducktion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abducktion/id6757611683)

Arrange adorable ducks in specific formations to beam them up to your UFO. Compete in a solo classic mode or a rogue-like career challenge with upgradeable decks and perks.

**Highlights:** Arrange ducks in formations, Beam ducks to UFO, Classic solo mode, Rogue-like career challenge, Upgradeable action card deck, Research perks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ark Nova free?

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

### Is Abducktion free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ark Nova or Abducktion?

Abducktion is rated higher. Ark Nova averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Abducktion averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.

### Do Ark Nova or Abducktion have ads?

Abducktion shows ads; Ark Nova does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ark Nova or Abducktion?

Ark Nova ships an update fortnightly, and Abducktion every 4 days. Most recently, Ark Nova was updated on October 19, 2026 and Abducktion on September 28, 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.*