# ASTRONEST vs Galactic Colonies

The clearest difference is ads: ASTRONEST at none against Galactic Colonies's shown. ASTRONEST also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.6). Galactic Colonies's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ASTRONEST sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Galactic Colonies sells 11 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 — 4.4 for ASTRONEST against 4.4 for Galactic Colonies. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 537 and 303 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of ASTRONEST's written reviews are positive against 70% of Galactic Colonies's.

ASTRONEST ships an update every 2 months, Galactic Colonies every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ASTRONEST | Galactic Colonies |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (537 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astronest-the-beginning/id901736647/reviews) | **[4.4 (303 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-colonies/id1240422237/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **537** | 303 |
| Positive reviews | **82.2% of reviews** | 69.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 235 MB | 196 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ANGames](https://appshunter.io/developer/814197088) | [MetalPop, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/885568833) |

## What reviewers say

### ASTRONEST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astronest-the-beginning/id901736647)

Engage in a massive space strategy MMO where you colonize planets, build powerful fleets, and battle players globally. Explore alien technologies, form alliances, and lead humanity's fight for survival in a galactic war.

**Highlights:** Colonize planets, Build epic space fleets, Battle players worldwide, Explore alien technologies, Form alliances, Develop heroes and warships, Engage in massive multiplayer wars

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crystal Box (Small) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Box (Medium) | $4.99 | one-time |
| New Commander's Crystal Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Crystal Pack 75 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Box (Large) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Crystal Pack 150 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Container (Small) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Crystal Pack 300 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Container (Medium) | $49.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Container (Large) | $94.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast-paced gameplay
- 👍 Engaging strategy elements
- 💡 Diverse fleet and weapon customization
- 🚀 Instant upgrades and no wait times
- 👍 Generous free-to-play model

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs after updates
- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 🔍 Lack of detailed battle controls
- 🤯 Overwhelming for new players
- ⏱️ Slow progression without spending

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Sync issues with Facebook login
- Disappearing/lost player progress
- Compatibility problems on newer devices

**Requested features**

- Improved battle AI and tactics
- More detailed planet and fleet management
- Alliance/guild system with shared progression
- Better tutorial and onboarding for new players


### Galactic Colonies

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-colonies/id1240422237)

Explore a vast, procedurally generated galaxy and build thriving colonies on alien worlds. Manage resources, establish production lines, and research new technologies to expand your civilization. Discover diverse planets and ensure your colonists survive in challenging environments.

**Highlights:** Procedurally generated universe exploration, Alien planet colonization, Technology research, Complex production pipelines, Colony ship upgrades, Diverse planet types

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Pack Of Energy Cells | $1.99 | one-time |
| Star Racer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Bundle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cold Steel | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Pack Of Energy Cells | $4.99 | one-time |
| Skyward | $4.99 | one-time |
| Weekend Deal | $4.99 | one-time |
| Doubled Planet Boost Time | $4.99 | one-time |
| Colonizer's Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| A Large Pack Of Energy Cells | $9.99 | one-time |
| Huge Pack Of Energy Cells | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly addictive and engaging
- 👍 Accessible for blind and visually impaired users
- 🎨 Great graphics and sound design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially with accessibility features
- 🔁 Repetitive and lacking variety in gameplay
- 💰 Unsustainable monetization model

**Reported bugs**

- Research projects getting stuck or going infinite
- Inability to connect buildings properly
- Inconsistent behavior of video rewards
- Crashes when trying to watch ads

**Requested features**

- Ability to relocate or remove buildings
- More varied mission objectives and planet types
- Improved navigation and map UI for accessibility
- Offline mode with background resource production


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ASTRONEST free?

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

### Is Galactic Colonies free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ASTRONEST or Galactic Colonies?

Galactic Colonies is rated higher. ASTRONEST averages 4.4 out of 5 from 537 ratings, while Galactic Colonies averages 4.4 from 303 ratings.

### Do ASTRONEST or Galactic Colonies have ads?

Galactic Colonies shows ads; ASTRONEST does not.

### Which is updated more often, ASTRONEST or Galactic Colonies?

ASTRONEST ships an update every 2 months, and Galactic Colonies every 10 days. Most recently, ASTRONEST was updated on October 22, 2026 and Galactic Colonies on October 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.*