# Supernova vs Idle Mage Academy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Idle Mage Academy at none against Supernova's 10. Idle Mage Academy also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Supernova's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.5 vs 4.0). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Supernova sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Idle Mage Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Supernova holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Supernova has 82 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Supernova's written reviews are positive against 100% of Idle Mage Academy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Supernova ships an update every 2 days, Idle Mage Academy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Supernova | Idle Mage Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/supernova-idle-star-forge/id6779555607/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-mage-academy/id6781848358/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **82** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 76.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 15 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HUGO ANATOLE PAUL MORICEAU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845368412) | [SONGHWA CHAE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896751262) |

## What reviewers say

### Supernova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/supernova-idle-star-forge/id6779555607)

An idle space tycoon game where you fuse hydrogen to grow and detonate stars. Earn permanent power-ups with each supernova to accelerate future runs. Features offline progress and a visually evolving star.

**Highlights:** Fuse hydrogen to create and grow stars, Offline progress and production, Visually evolving star stages, Prestige system with supernova cinematics, Deep multiplier stacking and research upgrades, Daily missions and streaks, Fully offline gameplay

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 Photons | $0.99 | one-time |
| Time Warp: 4 Hours | $1.99 | one-time |
| Break the Piggy Bank | $2.99 | one-time |
| Automation Core | $3.99 | one-time |
| Supporter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Time Warp: 24 Hours | $4.99 | one-time |
| 300 Photons | $4.99 | one-time |
| 700 Photons | $9.99 | one-time |
| Time Warp: 7 Days | $14.99 | one-time |
| 1600 Photons | $19.99 | one-time |


### Idle Mage Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-mage-academy/id6781848358)

Rise from a failing student to a legendary archmage through idle training and strategic growth. Your spells and rewards accumulate even when you're offline. Progress through the academy, unlock new abilities, and compete globally.

**Highlights:** Idle growth and offline rewards, Webnovel-style narrative, Unlock new spells and dungeons, Library research for permanent buffs, Duel Club for tactical combat, Rebirth system for endless progression, Global online ranking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Supernova free?

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

### Is Idle Mage Academy free?

Idle Mage Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Supernova or Idle Mage Academy?

Supernova is rated higher. Supernova averages 4.5 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Idle Mage Academy averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Supernova or Idle Mage Academy have ads?

Idle Mage Academy shows ads; Supernova does not.

### Which is updated more often, Supernova or Idle Mage Academy?

Supernova ships an update every 2 days, and Idle Mage Academy every 2 months. Most recently, Supernova was updated on November 10, 2026 and Idle Mage Academy on October 31, 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.*