# Bead Tower vs Astro Builder

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bead Tower at every 10 days against Astro Builder's every 11 months. Bead Tower also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Astro Builder's advantage is review sentiment (33% vs 11%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bead Tower sells 18 one-off in-app purchases and Astro Builder sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bead Tower against 4.7 for Astro Builder. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 11% of Bead Tower's written reviews are positive against 33% of Astro Builder's.

Bead Tower ships an update every 10 days, Astro Builder every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bead Tower | Astro Builder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bead-tower/id6736948761/reviews) | [4.7 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-builder/id6737761200/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 11.1% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 153 MB | 251 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Upperpik Oyun Yazilim ve Pazarlama Ticaret Anonim Sirketi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225221447) | [Solid Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625798412) |

## What reviewers say

### Bead Tower

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bead-tower/id6736948761)

Construct a towering structure by merging colorful beads and sending them down slides. Aim to build the highest tower possible for endless entertainment and satisfying gameplay.

**Highlights:** Build bead towers, Unlock colorful slides, Merge beads, Send beads rolling, Stack higher

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cash Kickstart Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Tickets | $1.99 | one-time |
| Manager | $2.99 | one-time |
| Financier | $2.99 | one-time |
| Engineer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Money Fountain Pack! | $2.99 | one-time |
| 20 Tickets | $2.99 | one-time |
| Royal Treasury Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 Tickets | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bundle Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| 30 Tickets & No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| Treasury Trove Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Treasury Trove Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Mega Bundle | $8.99 | one-time |
| Big Vault Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Big Vault Pack | $11.99 | one-time |
| Ultra Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 High rating

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Forced ads
- 🔌 Requires internet connection for ads
- 💰 Paywall to remove ads
- 🕰️ Frequent ads
- 🔴 Crashes/doesn't load

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes/doesn't load
- Compatibility issues

**Requested features**

- Offline mode
- Reduce ads


### Astro Builder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-builder/id6737761200)

Build a sprawling space station in orbit with this idle construction game. Start with basic components and expand your facility by unlocking new equipment and generating resources. Discover and develop new areas as your station grows.

**Highlights:** Idle space station construction, Resource management, Unlock new equipment, Expand and develop areas, Space elevator material transport

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AD TICKETS 10 | $0.99 | one-time |
| AD TICKETS 25 | $1.99 | one-time |
| AD TICKETS 60 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ad-free 7 day | $4.99 | one-time |
| Permanent ad-free! | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun game concept
- 👍 Detailed space station building
- 💡 Customizable astronaut suits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy AI and builder behavior
- 🔇 Lack of sound and music
- 🔁 Repetitive and monotonous gameplay
- 🔒 Forced ads and limited free content
- ⏱️ Slow progress without watching ads

**Reported bugs**

- Builders getting stuck or ignoring resource needs
- Inconsistent behavior when collecting from processors
- Permanent worker upgrades not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to continue progress offline
- More varied level designs and challenges
- Autonomous builder behavior
- Background progress while app is closed


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bead Tower free?

Bead Tower is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Astro Builder free?

Astro Builder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bead Tower or Astro Builder?

Bead Tower and Astro Builder are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.4K and 3.3K ratings respectively.

### Do Bead Tower or Astro Builder have ads?

Both Bead Tower and Astro Builder show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bead Tower or Astro Builder?

Bead Tower ships an update every 10 days, and Astro Builder every 11 months. Most recently, Bead Tower was updated on September 22, 2026 and Astro Builder on September 23, 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.*