Choose Smugglers 5
Choose Smugglers 5 if you want an Indie and Simulation experience. Smugglers 5 launched in 2014.
Smugglers 5 vs Star Traders: Frontiers
Smugglers 5 and Star Traders: Frontiers both land in Strategy, RPG 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 Strategy, RPG on Steam. Smugglers 5 (2014) is 4 years older than Star Traders: Frontiers (2018). Star Traders: Frontiers scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Smugglers 5 (51.8% 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 Star Traders: Frontiers
Choose Star Traders: Frontiers if you want the Steam Leaderboards, Camera Comfort, and Custom Volume Controls side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.1% positive across 3,217 reviews.
Both Smugglers 5 and Star Traders: Frontiers sit in Strategy and RPG 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
 Smugglers 5 |  Star Traders: Frontiers | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, RPG | Strategy, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | Price unknown | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 51.8% positive (112 reviews) | 84.1% positive (3,217 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Niels Bauer Games | Trese Brothers |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, RPG on Steam.
- Smugglers 5 (2014) is 4 years older than Star Traders: Frontiers (2018).
- Star Traders: Frontiers scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Smugglers 5 (51.8% positive).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Smugglers 5 vs Star Traders: Frontiers — FAQ
- Which is better, Smugglers 5 or Star Traders: Frontiers?
- On Steam reviews Star Traders: Frontiers scores higher (84.1% positive) than Smugglers 5 (51.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Star Traders: Frontiers is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Smugglers 5 or Star Traders: Frontiers first?
- If you want chronology, Smugglers 5 (2014) came out before Star Traders: Frontiers (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 Smugglers 5 and Star Traders: Frontiers similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, RPG 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.