# Star Realms vs Magic

Star Realms and Magic both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 57% of Star Realms's written reviews are positive against 34% of Magic's. Magic's advantage is ratings volume (156K vs 4.5K) and chart position (#20 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Realms sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Magic sells 17 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 — 4.6 for Star Realms against 4.6 for Magic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic has 156K ratings behind it against 4.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Star Realms's written reviews are positive against 34% of Magic's.

Star Realms ships an update every 10 days, Magic weekly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Realms | Magic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-realms/id893447125/reviews)** | [4.6 (156K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-the-gathering-arena/id1496227521/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4.5K | **156K** |
| Positive reviews | **57.0% of reviews** | 34.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#20** |
| Size | 509 MB | 265 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [White Wizard Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/893447128) | [Wizards of the Coast](https://appshunter.io/developer/491192018) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Realms

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-realms/id893447125)

Engage in thrilling space combat with this popular deckbuilding game. Build your deck, outmaneuver opponents, and conquer the galaxy. Offers both single-player campaigns and multiplayer battles.

**Highlights:** Deckbuilding gameplay, Player vs Player combat, AI battles, Campaign mode, Online multiplayer, Pass and Play mode

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| High Alert: Invasion | $1.99 | one-time |
| Crisis: Bases and Battleships Set | $1.99 | one-time |
| Crisis: Events Set | $1.99 | one-time |
| Crisis: Heroes Set | $1.99 | one-time |
| Crisis: Fleets and Fortresses | $1.99 | one-time |
| Command | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gambit Set | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cosmic Gambit | $3.99 | one-time |
| High Alert: First Strike | $3.99 | one-time |
| Full Version | $4.99 | one-time |
| Colony Wars | $4.99 | one-time |
| Frontiers | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Excellent implementation
- 💡 Lots of content and features
- 🚀 Fast and smooth gameplay
- 👍 Challenging AI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Issues with online play and connectivity
- 🐛 Unbalanced AI difficulty
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🐛 Confusing UI and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes and crashes on launch
- Online games getting stuck or timing out
- Inability to scrap or play certain cards
- Incorrect card behavior and interactions

**Requested features**

- Add undo/rewind functionality
- Improve offline/single-player experience
- Implement better matchmaking and player communication
- Provide more detailed game statistics and analytics


### Magic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-the-gathering-arena/id1496227521)

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Grossing · Card, #23 Top Grossing · Strategy, #51 Top Free · Strategy, #60 Top Free · Card, #104 Top Grossing · Games (US App Store)

Experience the original fantasy collectible card game digitally. Discover strategies, build unique decks, and battle friends worldwide. Offers a comprehensive tutorial for new players and various game modes for seasoned veterans.

**Highlights:** Digital collectible card game, Deck building and strategy, Online multiplayer battles, Tutorial for new players, Multiple game formats, Cosmetic customization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 750 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starter Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Jurassic World Lands | $9.99 | one-time |
| Fallout Companion Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1,600 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| 4x Rare Wildcards | $9.99 | one-time |
| Adventurer Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| Pre-order: Pass Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| 3,400 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| 4x Mythic Wildcards | $19.99 | one-time |
| Spark Bundle | $24.99 | one-time |
| Massacre Girl Pack Pre-order | $49.99 | one-time |
| Pre-order: Oko Pack Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| Pre-order: Pack Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| 9,200 Gems | $49.99 | one-time |
| Pre-order: Sorin Pack Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| 20,000 Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great way to play Magic on the go
- 🎨 Excellent visual representation of the game
- 💰 Generous free-to-play model
- 🕹️ Smooth and intuitive gameplay
- 🕰️ Convenient for players who can't meet in person

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🕹️ Clunky UI and navigation
- 💰 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win concerns
- 🔀 Rigged matchmaking and unfair shuffling algorithm
- 🕰️ Slow performance on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Cards not working as intended
- Inability to select or interact with certain game elements
- Inconsistent behavior when app crashes during matches
- Sync issues between mobile and desktop accounts

**Requested features**

- Ability to trade or recycle unwanted cards
- Improved deck building tools and organization
- Support for multiplayer formats like Commander and Two-Headed Giant
- Option to disable animations and speed up gameplay
- Better integration between mobile and desktop versions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Realms free?

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

### Is Magic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Star Realms or Magic?

Star Realms is rated higher. Star Realms averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while Magic averages 4.6 from 156K ratings.

### Do Star Realms or Magic have ads?

Neither Star Realms nor Magic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Realms or Magic?

Star Realms ships an update every 10 days, and Magic weekly. Most recently, Star Realms was updated on November 1, 2026 and Magic on November 1, 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.*