# Pocket Black Hole vs Galaxy Map

The clearest difference is rating: Galaxy Map at 4.6 against Pocket Black Hole's 4.1. Galaxy Map also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (613 vs 13). Pocket Black Hole's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Pocket Black Hole asks for nothing beyond the download.

Galaxy Map holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 613 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of Pocket Black Hole's written reviews are positive against 80% of Galaxy Map's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pocket Black Hole ships an update every 11 months, Galaxy Map every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Black Hole | Galaxy Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-black-hole/id1076013855/reviews) | **[4.6 (613 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **613** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 79.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 655 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laser Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1076013854) | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Black Hole

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-black-hole/id1076013855)

Simulate the light-bending effects of a black hole on your photos. Capture selfies or images of friends with a black hole distortion using a simplified visual effect.

**Highlights:** Simulate black hole light bending, Apply distortion to photos, Use selfies or friend photos, Simplified visual effect

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

Explore the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in an interactive 3D map. Discover nebulae, supernovae, and planets, with stunning visuals based on NASA data. Ideal for education and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D galaxy map, Explore nebulae and supernovae, Fly through planetary atmospheres, Land on planets, Based on NASA data, Available in 100+ languages

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Explore button shows nothing
- Pinch-to-zoom doesn't work
- App won't load on iPad
- Text displays as boxes in language settings

**Requested features**

- Search button to find galaxies and objects
- More diverse and realistic black hole designs
- AR feature to identify stars/planets in real sky
- More free content and objects
- Exoplanet additions (TRAPPIST-1e, J1407B)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Black Hole free?

Pocket Black Hole is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Black Hole or Galaxy Map?

Galaxy Map is rated higher. Pocket Black Hole averages 4.1 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Galaxy Map averages 4.6 from 613 ratings.

### Do Pocket Black Hole or Galaxy Map have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Pocket Black Hole does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Black Hole or Galaxy Map?

Pocket Black Hole ships an update every 11 months, and Galaxy Map every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pocket Black Hole was updated on October 24, 2026 and Galaxy Map on November 1, 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.*