# SR vs Celestia

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SR at none against Celestia's 4. SR also leads on iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.0). Celestia's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (339 vs 20). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Celestia sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. SR asks for nothing beyond the download.

Celestia holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Celestia has 339 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of SR's written reviews are positive against 79% of Celestia's.

SR ships an update every 2 months, Celestia fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SR | Celestia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sr-71a-blackbird/id1115724553/reviews) | **[4.4 (339 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **339** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 74 MB | 550 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Science Museum of Virginia](https://appshunter.io/developer/667580084) | [林峰 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1186547508) |

## What reviewers say

### SR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sr-71a-blackbird/id1115724553)

Explore the history and specifications of the SR-71A Blackbird aircraft. Discover fun facts and interact with the aircraft model, experiencing its legendary flights and records.

**Highlights:** Interactive SR-71A Blackbird model, Load experiences from menu, Move, size, and interact with aircraft, Discover fun facts, Learn about flight hours and records

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Celestia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829)

Explore the universe in real-time 3D. Visit planets, moons, star clusters, and galaxies, viewing them from any point in space and time. Customize your experience with expandable content and detailed simulations.

**Highlights:** Real-time 3D space visualization, Explore planets, moons, stars, galaxies, Accurate solar system object positions, Interactive planetarium mode, Expandable content with add-ons, Customizable celestial databases

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Celestia PLUS (Weekly) | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Celestia PLUS (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Celestia PLUS (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Celestia PLUS (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Realistic space simulation
- 🌌 Ability to explore galaxies and star systems
- 🔍 Detailed planet and moon textures
- 📷 Great for taking screenshots
- 🤖 Reminds users of Space Engine

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🌌 Limited exploration beyond Milky Way and Andromeda
- 🌍 Flat terrain on planets
- 🔍 Lack of detail on some celestial objects
- 🔒 Paywall for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Milky Way and other galaxy textures not loading properly
- Crashes when using certain add-ons
- Issues with planet and moon orbits not being accurate

**Requested features**

- Add more exoplanets and distant star systems
- Implement terrain generation for planets
- Expand to include more galaxies and the overall universe structure
- Add support for black holes, pulsars, and other exotic objects
- Improve controls and camera movement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SR free?

SR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Celestia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SR or Celestia?

Celestia is rated higher. SR averages 4.2 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Celestia averages 4.4 from 339 ratings.

### Do SR or Celestia have ads?

Neither SR nor Celestia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SR or Celestia?

SR ships an update every 2 months, and Celestia fortnightly. Most recently, SR was updated on November 2, 2026 and Celestia on November 3, 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.*