Comparison

Netrunner Drop vs Starshard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Netrunner Drop

Features
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You're a netrunner. Your target: a megacorp's mainframe. Your weapon: precision and timing. DROP. BREACH. ESCAPE. Netrunner Drop is a cyberpunk physics game where you hack corporate servers by dropping data packets through a grid of security nodes. Every drop matters. Every bounce counts. ▸ BREACH 7 SERVERS Start at the PUBLIC_GATEWAY and work your way through increasingly defended systems. Crack the FINANCE_RECORDS. Infiltrate R&D_ARCHIVES. Breach the BLACK_SITE. Your ultimate goal: THE_VAULT. ▸ DESTROY SECURITY NODES Each node you hit scores breach points: - EXPLOIT nodes deal heavy damage - VIRUS nodes spread bonus points - GLITCH nodes trigger critical hits - CHARGE nodes power your abilities - Avoid FIREWALLS that reset your combo ▸ SURVIVE THE COUNTERMEASURES Enemy security will damage your system integrity. Take too many hits and you're TRACED - game over. Find PATCH nodes to restore health and stay in the fight. ▸ BUILD MASSIVE COMBOS Chain hits together for multipliers up to 3x. Avoid obstacles or watch your combo shatter. Risk vs reward: low health triggers DANGER MODE with 1.5x points - if you survive. ▸ DEPLOY ROOTKITS Land in the JACKPOT bucket to unlock powerful abilities: - ALPHA_STRIKE: Destroy an entire row instantly - GHOST_PROTOCOL: Restore health and clear firewalls - PHASE_SHIFT: Pass through obstacles for 3 drops ▸ ACTIVATE POWERUPS - SLOW: More time to plan your shots - SHIELD: Block the next damage hit - MULTIBALL: Drop 3 packets at once - PHASE: Ignore obstacles for one drop ▸ FEATURES - Pure skill-based physics gameplay - 7 unique servers to breach - 7 node types with different effects - Combo system with escalating rewards - 4 unlockable powerups - 3 ROOTKIT abilities - Cyberpunk aesthetic with synthwave vibes - No energy systems or wait timers - Play offline anytime The corps won't protect themselves. Jack in. --- Free to play. Optional purchase to remove ads and double credits.

About

Starshard

Engage in a fair vertical space shooter with no pay-to-win mechanics. Dodge bullet storms, collect power-ups, and draft unique builds with upgrade choices after each boss. Explore campaign and endless modes, and unlock permanent gear for your chosen ship.

Highlights
  • Vertical space shooter gameplay
  • No pay-to-win or energy timers
  • Procedural build drafting with upgrades
  • Epic boss battles with multiple phases
  • Permanent gear and ship unlocks
  • Campaign and endless game modes
Features
Read full description

Three fleets came out of the dark and took the lanes one by one. Command has one hull left to send — yours. Starshard is a vertical space shooter built on one promise: FAIR PLAY. No pay-to-win. No energy timers. Just you, your ship, and endless waves of alien fleets — now fully playable in English and Turkish. DODGE. BLAST. SURVIVE. Weave through bullet storms with one finger. Collect power-ups, charge your weapons, and carve through six enemy types — from swarming scouts to armor-plated frigates — plus elite gold variants that hit harder and fly faster. DRAFT YOUR BUILD, EVERY RUN Defeat a boss and choose 1 of 3 upgrades: side cannons, homing missiles, piercing lasers, combat drones, tail guns, flak rounds and more. Every run builds differently. Every choice matters. EPIC BOSS BATTLES Three alien dreadnought factions guard the void, each with its own attack patterns — bullet curtains, radial bursts, summoned reinforcements. Push them past half health and face their enraged second phase. BUILD YOUR HANGAR Earn shards and unlock permanent gear: escort wingmen, drone bays, shield generators, afterburners. Choose your ship — the balanced Interceptor, the nimble Falcon, or the heavy Titan — and equip a loadout that fits your style. CAMPAIGN + ENDLESS Clear campaign missions with hand-crafted enemy compositions, or chase your record in endless mode across deep space, planetary sectors, and asteroid fields. Climb the pilot ranks from Cadet to legend. FAIR MONETIZATION • No pay-to-win, no energy timers, no subscriptions • Optional rewarded ads for a revive or bonus crystals; a short ad between runs, never mid-fight • One purchase removes all ads, forever • Everything is earnable by playing The void is waiting, pilot. How far will you fly?

Screenshots

Netrunner Drop4 screens
Starshard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Netrunner Drop at none against Starshard's 2. Netrunner Drop also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Starshard sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Netrunner Drop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Netrunner Drop versus Starshard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNetrunner DropStarshard
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequency—Every 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB85 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperJesse BartonBurak Emre Nevruzoglu

In-app purchases

None

Netrunner Drop

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Starshard

One-time2
  • Shard Doubler$1.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is Netrunner Drop free?
Netrunner Drop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Starshard free?
Starshard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Netrunner Drop or Starshard have ads?
Starshard shows ads; Netrunner Drop does not.

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