# Subterfuge vs Retro Commander

The clearest difference is rating: Subterfuge at 4.7 against Retro Commander's 3.7. Subterfuge also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (586 vs 16). Retro Commander's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Subterfuge sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Retro Commander sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Subterfuge holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Subterfuge has 586 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Subterfuge's written reviews are positive against 80% of Retro Commander's.

Subterfuge ships an update every 10 days, Retro Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Subterfuge | Retro Commander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (586 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subterfuge/id702951905/reviews)** | [3.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-commander/id1274342935/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **586** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **87.0% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 47 MB | 151 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Secret Plan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1612896544) | [Noble Master LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/310121642) |

## What reviewers say

### Subterfuge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subterfuge/id702951905)

Engage in a week-long real-time strategy and diplomacy game. Gather intelligence, coordinate with others, and issue orders to influence the game's outcome. Master both strategic planning and player negotiation to achieve victory.

**Highlights:** Week-long real-time gameplay, Strategy and diplomacy mechanics, Intelligence gathering, Order issuance, Player coordination, Unlimited scheduled orders (with IAP), Private game creation (with IAP)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patron (L3) | $4.99 | per month |
| Medal | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 5 Medals | $4.99 | one-time |
| Level 2 Security Clearance | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Awesome strategy game
- 👍 Brilliant game
- 👍 Fantastic game
- 👍 Best strategy game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy
- 🐛 Crashes too much
- 🐛 Unplayable
- 🐛 Crashes
- 🐛 Chat freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Queen randomly loses hire points
- Win conditions don't trigger
- Login screen freezes
- Game crashes on launch
- Notifications arrive late

**Requested features**

- Accelerated gameplay
- Shorter game modes
- Alliance feature
- More specialists
- New game modes


### Retro Commander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-commander/id1274342935)

Engage in post-apocalyptic real-time strategy battles. Command diverse units and technologies in a rich story campaign or test your skills against AI and players in cross-platform multiplayer. Features include a map editor and extensive modding capabilities.

**Highlights:** Post-apocalyptic RTS gameplay, Story campaign with unique factions, Single-player skirmish matches vs AI, Cross-platform multiplayer, Map editor and modding support, Diverse units and research options, Multiple game modes (capture the flag, battle royale)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Map: Chapter 02 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 02 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 05 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Clan Manager | $1.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 03 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 08 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map A1 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 04 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 06 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Chapter 07 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 03 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Map: Battle Map 04 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Modded Maps | $4.99 | one-time |
| All Maps & Modding | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Subterfuge free?

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

### Is Retro Commander free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Subterfuge or Retro Commander?

Subterfuge is rated higher. Subterfuge averages 4.7 out of 5 from 586 ratings, while Retro Commander averages 3.7 from 16 ratings.

### Do Subterfuge or Retro Commander have ads?

Neither Subterfuge nor Retro Commander shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Subterfuge or Retro Commander?

Subterfuge ships an update every 10 days, and Retro Commander every 2 months. Most recently, Subterfuge was updated on October 24, 2026 and Retro Commander on October 26, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*