Choose StarMade
Choose StarMade if you want a Strategy and Adventure game with Shared/Split Screen PvP and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. 1,712 Steam reviews back the pick.
StarMade vs Space Station 14
StarMade and Space Station 14 both land in Action, Indie, Simulation 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, Simulation on Steam. Space Station 14 is free; StarMade is paid (14.99 USD). Both support cooperative play. 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 Space Station 14
Choose Space Station 14 if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero.
Both StarMade and Space Station 14 sit in Action, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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
 StarMade |  Space Station 14 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | — |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Action, Indie, Simulation, RPG, Free To Play, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 66.9% positive (1,712 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Schine GmbH | Space Wizards Federation |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Space Station 14 is free; StarMade is paid (14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
StarMade vs Space Station 14 — FAQ
- Are StarMade and Space Station 14 similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Simulation 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.
- Do both StarMade and Space Station 14 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: StarMade ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Space Station 14 ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Space Station 14 free?
- Yes — Space Station 14 is a free-to-play Steam title. StarMade is paid (14.99 USD).