# Supernova vs The Long Descent

The clearest difference is ads: Supernova at none against The Long Descent's shown. Supernova also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 days) and device support (5 vs 3). The Long Descent's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Supernova sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and The Long Descent sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Supernova against 4.5 for The Long Descent. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 82 and 38 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Supernova's written reviews are positive against 73% of The Long Descent's.

Supernova ships an update every 2 days, The Long Descent every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Supernova | The Long Descent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/supernova-idle-star-forge/id6779555607/reviews) | **[4.5 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-long-descent/id6790550533/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **82** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | **76.3% of reviews** | 73.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [HUGO ANATOLE PAUL MORICEAU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845368412) | [Shai Ankori](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790550535) |

## 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 |


### The Long Descent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-long-descent/id6790550533)

Embark on an idle deep-sea adventure, piloting an exploration probe to uncover the mystery of a silent ocean. Harvest energy, discover unique species, and upgrade your vessel as you descend through increasingly challenging zones. Enjoy offline progress and optional purchases to support development.

**Highlights:** Idle deep-sea exploration, Harvest energy and upgrade ship, Discover and catalogue species, Skippable reflex minigame, Offline progress, Fully painted world

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aurora Hull | $1.99 | one-time |
| Deep Start | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| Abyssal Engine | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pressure Vault Crack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Season Track | $4.99 | one-time |
| Deep Permit | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pressure Vault Crack II | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1,200 Pearls (+240 bonus) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pressure Vault Crack III | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Supernova free?

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

### Is The Long Descent free?

The Long Descent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Supernova or The Long Descent?

The Long Descent is rated higher. Supernova averages 4.5 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while The Long Descent averages 4.5 from 38 ratings.

### Do Supernova or The Long Descent have ads?

The Long Descent shows ads; Supernova does not.

### Which is updated more often, Supernova or The Long Descent?

Supernova ships an update every 2 days, and The Long Descent every 9 days. Most recently, Supernova was updated on November 10, 2026 and The Long Descent on November 10, 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.*