# Tiny Guardians vs Ex Astris

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ex Astris at none against Tiny Guardians's 11. Ex Astris also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and chart position (#178 vs unranked). Tiny Guardians's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and price ($3.99 vs $9.99). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Tiny Guardians costs $3.99 and Ex Astris $9.99 up front. Tiny Guardians sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Ex Astris asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tiny Guardians holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 267 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Tiny Guardians's written reviews are positive against 66% of Ex Astris's.

Tiny Guardians ships an update every 5 months, Ex Astris every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tiny Guardians | Ex Astris |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tiny-guardians/id893448956/reviews)** | [4.4 (267 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ex-astris/id6470642337/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 267 |
| Positive reviews | **90.1% of reviews** | 65.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#178** |
| Size | 459 MB | 3.7 GB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kurechii](https://appshunter.io/developer/893448959) | [GRYPH FRONTIER PTE.LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701568466) |

## What reviewers say

### Tiny Guardians

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tiny-guardians/id893448956)

This strategy game offers a unique twist on the tower defense genre. Summon diverse guardians with upgradable abilities to protect a protagonist on her quest. Collect cards, strategize against various enemies, and overcome challenging boss fights.

**Highlights:** Tower defense without towers, 12 guardian classes with 4 upgradable levels, Over 40 diverse enemy types, Unique boss fights and special events, Story and Challenge Modes with multiple difficulties, Collectable illustrated guardian cards

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Archer Alternative Appearance | $1.99 | one-time |
| Paladin | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sentinel | $1.99 | one-time |
| Knight Alternative Appearance | $1.99 | one-time |
| Berserker Alternative Appearance | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hunter Alternative Appearance | $1.99 | one-time |
| Wizard | $2.99 | one-time |
| Magician Alternative Appearance | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rogue Alternative Appearance | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dancer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Alternative Appearances Bundle | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and unique gameplay
- 🎨 Charming art style
- 🔍 Interesting twist on tower defense
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Gameplay can get repetitive
- 📱 UI/text too small on newer devices
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🕰️ Slow pacing at times

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes at certain levels
- Objectives not registering as complete
- Inability to skip tutorial on repeat playthroughs

**Requested features**

- More levels and content updates
- Ability to use new units in older levels
- Additional game modes and challenges
- Improved targeting and unit control


### Ex Astris

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ex-astris/id6470642337)

**Currently charting:** #178 Top Paid · Role Playing (US App Store)

Embark on an interstellar adventure as an investigator on a tidally locked planet. Explore diverse landscapes, engage in strategic turn-based combat with a unique maneuver system, and uncover the planet's mysteries with a team of companions.

**Highlights:** 3D Sci-Fi Adventure RPG, Semi-real-time, turn-based combat, Innovative Obscuran Maneuver system, World exploration on a tidally locked planet, Assemble and empower a team of companions, Crafting and puzzle-solving

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless combat system
- 🎨 Breathtaking graphics and art style
- 💰 Great value for a one-time purchase
- 🌟 Captivating story and world-building
- 🎮 Engaging turn-based gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 Inconsistent audio/sound issues
- 📜 Unclear story and lore explanations
- 🕹️ Lack of controller support
- 🌐 Requires internet connection to play
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes at startup for some users
- Second fight cannot be progressed through
- Ziplines outside trade center are bugged
- Dialogue text pacing issues

**Requested features**

- Add controller support
- Improve story explanations and lore
- Implement offline play mode
- Add English voice-over option
- Provide more in-depth tutorial for combat


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tiny Guardians free?

Tiny Guardians costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Ex Astris free?

Ex Astris costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Tiny Guardians or Ex Astris?

Tiny Guardians is rated higher. Tiny Guardians averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Ex Astris averages 4.4 from 267 ratings.

### Do Tiny Guardians or Ex Astris have ads?

Neither Tiny Guardians nor Ex Astris shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tiny Guardians or Ex Astris?

Tiny Guardians ships an update every 5 months, and Ex Astris every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tiny Guardians was updated on October 14, 2026 and Ex Astris 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.*