Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 88.8% positive across 51,728 reviews.
Starbound vs Planet Explorers
Starbound and Planet Explorers both land in Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Both released in 2016. Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Planet Explorers (59.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Planet Explorers
Choose Planet Explorers if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 3,861 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Starbound and Planet Explorers sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Starbound |  Planet Explorers | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 59.8% positive (3,861 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chucklefish | Pathea Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Both released in 2016.
- Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Planet Explorers (59.8% positive).
- Planet Explorers is free; Starbound is paid (14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Planet Explorers does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Starbound vs Planet Explorers — FAQ
- Which is better, Starbound or Planet Explorers?
- On Steam reviews Starbound scores higher (88.8% positive) than Planet Explorers (59.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Starbound is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Are Starbound and Planet Explorers similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Planet Explorers have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Planet Explorers is listed as single-player only.
- Is Planet Explorers free?
- Yes — Planet Explorers is a free-to-play Steam title. Starbound is paid (14.99 USD).