# Star vs Alien Barrage

The clearest difference is rating: Alien Barrage at 5.0 against Star's 3.7. Alien Barrage also leads on iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). Star's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Alien Barrage sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Star asks for nothing beyond the download.

Alien Barrage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Star ships an update daily, Alien Barrage every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star | Alien Barrage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-defender/id6753935989/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-barrage/id6759081405/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Morgan Rai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691350292) | [arnold biffna](https://appshunter.io/developer/1076122973) |

## What reviewers say

### Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-defender/id6753935989)

Engage in a retro arcade shooter experience defending the last outpost from alien invaders. Pilot your starship through intense waves of enemies, dodge fire, and unleash powerful weapons in a fight for galactic survival.

**Highlights:** Classic arcade action, Retro-modern design, Responsive mobile controls, Immersive sound effects, Leaderboard competition

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Alien Barrage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alien-barrage/id6759081405)

Defend Earth from relentless alien invaders in this fast-paced retro arcade shooter. Dodge plasma, collect powerups, and survive challenging boss battles. Compete on global leaderboards for the highest score and wave survived.

**Highlights:** Touch-and-drag controls with automatic firing, Endless escalating waves of alien enemies, Bonus Rounds and Boss Battles, Collectible powerups and screen-clearing bombs, Unlockable ships and difficulty modes, Game Center leaderboards and achievements

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Revives | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 Revives | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Extra Bombs. | $1.99 | one-time |
| Dual Shooter Ship | $2.99 | one-time |
| 40 revives | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 Revives | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star free?

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

### Is Alien Barrage free?

Alien Barrage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Star or Alien Barrage?

Alien Barrage is rated higher. Star averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Alien Barrage averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Star or Alien Barrage have ads?

Neither Star nor Alien Barrage shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star or Alien Barrage?

Star ships an update daily, and Alien Barrage every 3 months. Most recently, Star was updated on October 24, 2026 and Alien Barrage on October 22, 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.*