# Astro Builder vs Colony Master

The clearest difference is update cadence: Colony Master at every 4 days against Astro Builder's every 11 months. Colony Master also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Astro Builder's advantage is review sentiment (34% vs 6%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Astro Builder holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astro Builder has 3.3K ratings behind it against 340, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Astro Builder's written reviews are positive against 6% of Colony Master's.

Astro Builder ships an update every 11 months, Colony Master every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astro Builder | Colony Master |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-builder/id6737761200/reviews)** | [4.5 (340 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colony-master/id6740081227/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 340 |
| Positive reviews | **34.1% of reviews** | 5.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 251 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Solid Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625798412) | [Upperpik Oyun Yazilim ve Pazarlama Ticaret Anonim Sirketi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1225221447) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Colony Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colony-master/id6740081227)

Manage an ant colony by adding new ants, merging them to improve efficiency, and directing them to gather food. Tap to accelerate their actions and clear obstacles.

**Highlights:** Add new ants, Merge ants, Increase ant speed, Gather food, Destroy obstacles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kickstart Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Tickets! | $1.99 | one-time |
| Manager | $2.99 | one-time |
| Engineer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Money Fountain Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| 20 Tickets | $2.99 | one-time |
| Financier | $3.99 | one-time |
| Big Deal Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Royal Treasury Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 50 Tickets | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bundle | $5.99 | one-time |
| Treasury Trove Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| 30 Tickets & No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| Mega Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Big Vault Pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Ultra Bundle | $10.99 | one-time |
| Big Chest Treasure | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Potential for a good game concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Excessive ads
- 🕰️ Forced ads every few seconds
- 🕹️ Boring and repetitive gameplay
- 💰 Attempts to monetize heavily

**Reported bugs**

- Ads cannot be skipped or disabled
- Game crashes or becomes unplayable due to ads

**Requested features**

- Remove forced ads
- Improve gameplay to make it more engaging


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astro Builder free?

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

### Is Colony Master free?

Colony Master is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Astro Builder or Colony Master?

Astro Builder is rated higher. Astro Builder averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Colony Master averages 4.5 from 340 ratings.

### Do Astro Builder or Colony Master have ads?

Both Astro Builder and Colony Master show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astro Builder or Colony Master?

Astro Builder ships an update every 11 months, and Colony Master every 4 days. Most recently, Astro Builder was updated on October 19, 2026 and Colony Master on October 14, 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.*