Beyond Blue vs Subnautica
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Beyond Blue
Explore the ocean's mysteries as a deep-sea scientist in this narrative-driven adventure. Utilize advanced technology to interact with marine life and uncover the secrets of an untouched world. Features include mini-documentaries and a photo mode.
- Evocative narrative with full voice cast
- Exploration of an untouched world
- Captivating soundtrack
- Ocean Insights mini-documentaries
- Photo Mode for sharing
- Daily activities and unlockable dive suits
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Beyond Blue takes you into the near future, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore the mysteries of our ocean through the eyes of Mirai, a deep sea explorer and scientist. You and your newly-formed research team will use groundbreaking technologies to see, hear, and interact with the ocean in a more meaningful way than has ever been attempted. The game features an evocative narrative, exploration of an untouched world, and adventure during the crew’s expedition. Embracing the same inclusive development process that was used to create Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna), E-Line’s BAFTA award-winning game about Alaska Native culture, the company partnered with BBC Studios (developers of the acclaimed Blue Planet II), OceanX Media, world-class game makers, and some of science’s leading ocean experts to craft an experience that reflects the awesome wonder and unbounded mystery that infuses our planet’s beating blue heart. Features + An evocative narrative with full voice cast – Anna Akana (Ant Man, YouTube), Mira Furlan (Lost, Babylon 5), Hakeem Kae-Kazim (Black Sails, Hotel Rwanda), and Ally Maki (Toy Story 4) + Exploration and adventure within an untouched world + A captivating and entertaining soundtrack featuring an original score and music from Miles Davis, The Flaming Lips, The Edisons, and more + Sixteen unique mini-documentaries called Ocean Insights that feature original footage and interviews with science’s leading ocean experts + Take beautiful pictures to share using the brand new Photo Mode + Daily Activities such as Point to Point Races, Scavenger Hunts and Relays that unlock brand new dive suits for Mirai + A relaxing tour of the regions with the Dive-In Theater that you can just sit back and enjoy
Subnautica
Embark on an underwater survival adventure in an arctic alien ocean. Investigate mysteries, craft equipment, and explore new biomes and creatures. Survive the cold and uncover the truth behind an ancient alien civilization.
- Explore alien ocean biomes
- Craft habitats and equipment
- Survive freezing temperatures
- Investigate alien mysteries
- Discover new creatures
- Pilot vehicles like Seatruck and Snowfox
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*Please make sure your device is supported before purchasing Below Zero!* Below Zero is the next chapter of Subnautica, the underwater survival open world set on an alien ocean planet. Submerge yourself in an all-new, sub-zero expedition in an arctic region of Planet 4546B. After crash landing planetside, set out into frigid waters to investigate what happened to your sister... Discover new biomes, creatures, challenges and story! Below Zero expands the Subnautica universe, diving deeper into the adventure and mysteries introduced in the original game. FEATURES UNCOVER THE TRUTH - Who were the aliens who came here before? Why were they on this planet? What really happened to your sister? And will exposing the truth give some closure to your loss? SURVIVE THE COLD - The freezing temperatures of this arctic region pose a new challenge. Craft a toasty cold suit, sip on piping hot coffee, and warm up next to Thermal Lilies to stave off the chill. CRAFT YOUR WAY - Survive the harsh climate by constructing extensive habitats, scavenging for resources, and crafting equipment. Blast across the snowy tundra on a Snowfox hoverbike. Cruise through enchanting and perilous biomes in your modular Seatruck. EXPLORE THE PLANET - Swim beneath the blue-lit, arching expanses of Twisty Bridges, be mesmerized by the Crystal Caverns, venture into the icy caves of Glacial Basin or maneuver between erupting Thermal Vents to discover ancient alien artifacts. MEET NEW CREATURES - Something undiscovered lurks around every corner. Swim through the giant Titan Holefish, encounter the haunting Shadow Leviathan, and visit the adorable Pengwings. Keep your wits about you. Not all creatures in this strange world are friendly. CAREFULLY REDESIGNED FOR MOBILE - Revamped interface – exclusive mobile UI with complete touch control - Game Center achievements - Cloud Save – Share your progress between iOS devices - iPhone 17 Optimization (including Pro Max) ----- *DEVICES NOT SUPPORTED (THE GAME WON'T WORK)*: - iPhone Xr, iPhone SE Gen 2 (2020) - iPad Mini Gen 5, iPad Air Gen 3, iPad Gen 8, iPad Gen 9 *SUPPORTED DEVICES ON LOW RESOLUTION ONLY*: - iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone SE Gen 3 (2022) - iPad Pro 10.5", iPad Mini Gen 6, iPad Air Gen 4, iPad Gen 10, iPad Pro 11" Gen 1, iPad Pro 12.9" Gen 3 *SUPPORTED DEVICES* : - iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 AND ABOVE - iPad Pro 11" Gen 2, iPad Pro 12.9" Gen 4, iPad Air Gen 5, iPad Pro 11" Gen 3, iPad Pro 11" Gen 4, iPad Pro 12.9" Gen 5, iPad Pro 12.9" Gen 6 AND ABOVE
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Beyond Blue at Free against Subnautica's $9.99. Beyond Blue also leads on device support (5 vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Subnautica's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 42%) and rating (4.5 vs 3.0). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Beyond Blue is free to download; Subnautica costs $9.99 up front. Beyond Blue sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Subnautica asks for nothing beyond the download.
Subnautica holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subnautica has 125 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Beyond Blue's written reviews are positive against 86% of Subnautica's.
Beyond Blue ships an update every 4 weeks, Subnautica fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Beyond Blue | Subnautica |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 3.0 (8 ratings) | 4.5 (125 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.1% of reviews | 86.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 125 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #68 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3.2 GB | 2.2 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | E-Line Media | Unknown Worlds |
Customer experience
Beyond Blue
Subnautica
In-app purchases
Beyond Blue
- Unlock Full Game$6.99
Subnautica
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Beyond Blue free?
Is Subnautica free?
Which has better reviews, Beyond Blue or Subnautica?
Do Beyond Blue or Subnautica have ads?
Which is updated more often, Beyond Blue or Subnautica?
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