Choose StarMade
Choose StarMade if you want a Strategy, Simulation, and Early Access game with Shared/Split Screen PvP and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,712 Steam reviews back the pick.
StarMade vs Boundless
StarMade and Boundless 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. StarMade (2014) is 4 years older than Boundless (2018). Boundless scores higher on Steam reviews (73.6% positive) than StarMade (66.9% 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 Boundless
Choose Boundless if you want a Massively Multiplayer game with MMO. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 73.6% positive across 1,316 reviews.
Both StarMade and Boundless sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure 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 |  Boundless | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Action, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.9% positive (1,712 reviews) | 73.6% positive (1,316 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Schine GmbH | Monumental, LLC |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- StarMade (2014) is 4 years older than Boundless (2018).
- Boundless scores higher on Steam reviews (73.6% positive) than StarMade (66.9% positive).
- StarMade is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than Boundless (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Boundless is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; StarMade has no Deck rating yet.
StarMade vs Boundless — FAQ
- Which is better, StarMade or Boundless?
- On Steam reviews Boundless scores higher (73.6% positive) than StarMade (66.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Boundless is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play StarMade or Boundless first?
- If you want chronology, StarMade (2014) came out before Boundless (2018). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are StarMade and Boundless 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.
- Do both StarMade and Boundless have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: StarMade ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Boundless ships Online Co-op, Co-op.