# Circle vs Star Jolt

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Star Jolt at 88% against Circle's 43%. Star Jolt also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Circle's advantage is ratings volume (5.5K vs 845). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Circle sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Star Jolt sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Star Jolt holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Circle has 5.5K ratings behind it against 845, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Circle's written reviews are positive against 88% of Star Jolt's.

Circle ships an update every 2 months, Star Jolt every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Circle | Star Jolt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle/id911152486/reviews) | **[4.8 (845 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-jolt-retro-space-arcade/id1453327957/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.5K** | 845 |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **88.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 324 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ketchapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/528065807) | [Beardybird AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1164888655) |

## What reviewers say

### Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle/id911152486)

Guide a jumping circle to avoid a dangerous line. Test your reflexes and see how far you can progress in this simple yet challenging arcade game. Compete for the highest score.

**Highlights:** Tap to jump, Avoid the line, Endless gameplay, Score tracking, Challenging reflexes

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3000 Diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Diamonds | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Simple and fun concept
- 🎨 Visually appealing circles
- 💎 Earning diamonds is rewarding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Challenges are inaccurate/glitchy
- 📢 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🕹️ Unresponsive controls and lag
- 🔄 Repetitive gameplay with lack of updates

**Reported bugs**

- Diamonds not counting properly in challenges
- Game screen not fitting properly on newer devices
- Tapping not registering correctly

**Requested features**

- More race levels and challenges
- Ability to customize circles
- Option to play own music
- Pause button during gameplay


### Star Jolt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-jolt-retro-space-arcade/id1453327957)

Experience a fast-paced, retro arcade space game focused on high-score chasing. Master lightning-fast reflexes and precise control to navigate cosmic debris and compete globally. Unlock unique ships and replay endlessly for the ultimate challenge.

**Highlights:** Global leaderboards, Unlockable ships, Ghost ship races, One-hand gameplay, Record and share runs, Achievements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove all ads + unique ship | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all ships | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Retro arcade style
- 🎨 Stylish visuals
- 🎯 Challenging gameplay
- 🏆 Competitive leaderboards
- 🎼 Great audio and sound effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and crashes
- 📺 Frequent and unskippable ads
- 🔍 Sensitivity issues with controls
- 🔋 Potential battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezing during runs
- Crashes on certain device models
- Purchase restoration issues

**Requested features**

- Sensitivity adjustment options
- More ship/character customization
- Expanded story or progression system
- Ability to name/customize player profile


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Circle free?

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

### Is Star Jolt free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Circle or Star Jolt?

Star Jolt is rated higher. Circle averages 4.3 out of 5 from 5.5K ratings, while Star Jolt averages 4.8 from 845 ratings.

### Do Circle or Star Jolt have ads?

Both Circle and Star Jolt show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Circle or Star Jolt?

Circle ships an update every 2 months, and Star Jolt every 3 weeks. Most recently, Circle was updated on November 3, 2026 and Star Jolt on November 2, 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.*