# Astra Squad vs Maelstrom

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Maelstrom at none against Astra Squad's 12. Maelstrom also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days). Astra Squad's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Astra Squad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Maelstrom asks for nothing beyond the download.

Astra Squad ships an update every 5 days, Maelstrom every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astra Squad | Maelstrom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astra-squad/id6779563769/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 565 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MEGAGIGA GAMES BILISIM AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779213675) | [John Verco](https://appshunter.io/developer/1825521995) |

## What reviewers say

### Astra Squad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astra-squad/id6779563769)

Lead humanity's counterattack against alien invaders as Commander Astra. Rebuild your forces, gather resources, and upgrade your hero with powerful weapons to defend Earth. Engage in intense battles across the planet to reclaim the stars.

**Highlights:** Lead humanity's defense force, Rebuild and strengthen your army, Gather resources, Upgrade hero and weapons, Fight waves of alien monsters, Counterattack across Earth

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Rare Shotgun Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Turret Resource Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Melania Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Tool Damage Forever | $11.99 | one-time |
| Weapon Damage Forever | $12.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 4 | $19.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Vip Pack | $22.99 | one-time |


### Maelstrom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maelstrom-vector-arcade/id6791025991)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astra Squad free?

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

### Is Maelstrom free?

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

### Do Astra Squad or Maelstrom have ads?

Both Astra Squad and Maelstrom show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astra Squad or Maelstrom?

Astra Squad ships an update every 5 days, and Maelstrom every 2 days. Most recently, Astra Squad was updated on October 18, 2026 and Maelstrom on October 13, 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.*