# Element vs Star Traders

The clearest difference is update cadence: Star Traders at every 3 weeks against Element's every 10 months. Star Traders also leads on chart position (#23 vs unranked). Element's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $6.99) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.1). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Element costs $1.99 and Star Traders $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Element against 4.6 for Star Traders. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 474 and 668 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 72% and 73% positive.

Element ships an update every 10 months, Star Traders every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Element | Star Traders |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $6.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (474 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-rts/id749488884/reviews) | [4.6 (668 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 474 | **668** |
| Positive reviews | 72.4% of reviews | **73.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#23** |
| Size | 139 MB | 316 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 12.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Flightless](https://appshunter.io/developer/367309147) | [Trese Brothers](https://appshunter.io/developer/528949265) |

## What reviewers say

### Element

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-rts/id749488884)

Engage in a visually stunning space strategy game designed for busy players. Mine resources, build units, and battle enemies to escape a decaying solar system and reach new frontiers.

**Highlights:** Real-time strategy gameplay, Space exploration and combat, Resource mining and management, Unit building and deployment, Visually stunning graphics, Accessible for short play sessions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Beautiful minimalist low-poly graphics
- 🧠 Strategic depth with simple learning curve
- ⚡ Quick, bite-sized gaming sessions
- 🎯 Intuitive controls and UI design

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Extremely short campaign (4 hours completion)
- 🔄 Repetitive gameplay after initial planets
- 💰 Expensive for content length ($5 price point)
- ⚙️ Tracking and progress system doesn't work properly
- 🎮 Unbalanced gameplay - can destroy enemy base instantly

**Reported bugs**

- Progress tracking doesn't register completed mines
- Game crashes frequently on iPad Pro M1
- Purchase transaction issues and money deduction without delivery
- UI text too small on iPhone XR and newer models
- Tutorial doesn't adequately explain mechanics

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer/PvP mode
- More levels and planets
- Random world generator or sandbox mode
- Local co-op gameplay
- Skirmish/custom difficulty modes


### Star Traders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-traders-frontiers/id1442583232)

**Currently charting:** #23 Top Paid · Role Playing, #73 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Command your own starship and crew in a vast, procedurally generated open universe. Forge your path as a pirate, merchant, bounty hunter, or explorer, influencing factions and shaping your crew through your choices in this epic sci-fi RPG.

**Highlights:** Open universe exploration, Multiple captain careers (26 jobs), Spaceship customization (350+ upgrades), Crew assembly and talent management, Dynamic narrative and faction influence, Crew molding based on player choices, Varied difficulty options including permadeath

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Impressive depth and complexity
- 🌍 Vast open-world with endless possibilities
- 🔍 Engaging story and lore
- 🤖 Diverse gameplay options (trading, exploration, combat, etc.)
- 🕹️ Satisfying ship and crew management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Steep learning curve, lacks clear tutorials
- 🔍 Repetitive or tedious aspects in late game
- 📱 UI/UX issues on smaller mobile devices
- 🎲 Frustrating RNG elements and difficulty spikes
- 🔒 Lack of cloud save functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crew combat screen UI issues causing accidental input
- Reputation/faction system bugs leading to unexpected outcomes
- Crashes and freezes when navigating certain screens
- Inconsistent behavior with ship component upgrades

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize ship colors and appearances
- Option to command/control multiple ships as a fleet
- More end-game content and progression systems
- Improved UI scaling and optimization for larger screens
- Cloud save/sync functionality across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Element free?

Element costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Star Traders free?

Star Traders costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Element or Star Traders?

Element and Star Traders are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 474 and 668 ratings respectively.

### Do Element or Star Traders have ads?

Neither Element nor Star Traders shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Element or Star Traders?

Element ships an update every 10 months, and Star Traders every 3 weeks. Most recently, Element was updated on September 24, 2026 and Star Traders on September 24, 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.*