# Starbase Chill vs Santa's Workshop

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Santa's Workshop at none against Starbase Chill's 3. Santa's Workshop also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (42 vs 4). Starbase Chill's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Starbase Chill sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Santa's Workshop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Santa's Workshop holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Santa's Workshop has 42 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Starbase Chill ships an update every 2 days, Santa's Workshop every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 4, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starbase Chill | Santa's Workshop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starbase-chill/id6478611890/reviews) | **[4.7 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/santas-workshop-idle-game/id6738013587/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **42** |
| Positive reviews | — | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 3 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joshua Kaden](https://appshunter.io/developer/417845202) | [aleros.io LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552999210) |

## What reviewers say

### Starbase Chill

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starbase-chill/id6478611890)

Engage in a relaxed starbase simulation with no time pressure or objectives. Manage complex systems, explore vast space, and focus on what you find interesting in a peaceful, offline environment.

**Highlights:** Starbase management, Space exploration, No urgency or time limits, Offline single-device play, No score or victory conditions, Low-stress environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One dollar tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Two dollar tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Five dollar tip | $4.99 | one-time |


### Santa's Workshop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/santas-workshop-idle-game/id6738013587)

Help the elves craft toys and find Santa before it's too late in this holiday-themed idle game. Manage your workshop, care for reindeer, and complete missions to spread joy.

**Highlights:** Tap to build 25 unique toys, Offline toy crafting, Complete missions, Care for reindeer, Search for Santa, Collect achievements, Accessibility mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starbase Chill free?

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

### Is Santa's Workshop free?

Santa's Workshop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starbase Chill or Santa's Workshop?

Santa's Workshop is rated higher. Starbase Chill averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Santa's Workshop averages 4.7 from 42 ratings.

### Do Starbase Chill or Santa's Workshop have ads?

Neither Starbase Chill nor Santa's Workshop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starbase Chill or Santa's Workshop?

Starbase Chill ships an update every 2 days, and Santa's Workshop every 3 weeks. Most recently, Starbase Chill was updated on November 4, 2026 and Santa's Workshop on November 4, 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.*