Comparison

PLANETS vs Space Sandbox

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PLANETS

Features
Read full description

PLANETS: Learn Mode is an interactive app that lets you learn about the planets! Move the spaceship around to dock on a planet and learn more!

About

Space Sandbox

Design and evolve your own universe with realistic physics and life simulation. Explore with friends in multiplayer modes like battle royale and racing, or build together. Customize your experience and witness cosmic events unfold.

Highlights
  • Infinite celestial body creation
  • Realistic orbital mechanics
  • Terraforming and life evolution
  • Multiplayer modes (Battle Royale, Racing, Co-op)
  • Time control for accelerated evolution
  • Character customization
  • 6 distinct game modes
Features
Read full description

CREATE. EVOLVE. EXPLORE. Space Sandbox is the ultimate universe simulation where you play god. Create entire solar systems from scratch, manipulate gravity, and witness the rise of civilizations. BUILD YOUR UNIVERSE • Infinite Creation: Spawn over 50 types of celestial bodies—from burning stars and gas giants to black holes and mysterious gem planets. • Realistic Physics: Master the art of orbital mechanics. Create binary star systems and watch real N-body physics in action. • Terraforming: Transform barren rocks into lush, habitable worlds. Control temperature and atmosphere to support life. LIFE EVOLUTION Guide life through 9 distinct eras: • Microscopic Bacteria • Sea Life & Land Animals • Dinosaurs • Civilization (Early to Industrial) • Space Age: Watch your creations launch their own ships! MULTIPLAYER SANDBOX Explore the galaxy with friends! • Team Battle Royale: Fight for dominance in shrinking solar zones. • Space Racing: Compete in high-speed races through asteroid fields. • Co-op Building: Construct massive space stations together. FEATURES • Time Control: Speed up time to see millions of years pass in seconds. • Meteorite Economy: Harvest resources to unlock rare celestial objects. • 11 Star Types: From massive blue giants to tiny red dwarfs. • Orbital Mechanics: Set realistic orbits with barycenter physics. • Temperature System: Heat planets to create habitable zones. • 6 Game Modes: Battle Royale, Deathmatch, CTF, Racing, Survival, Exploration. • Character Customization: Design your own space explorer. • Stunning Visuals: Beautiful 3D graphics optimized for iPhone and iPad. The universe is in your hands. What will you create?

Screenshots

PLANETS4 screens
Space Sandbox3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: PLANETS at 6.1 against Space Sandbox's 18.5. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
PLANETS versus Space Sandbox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPLANETSSpace Sandbox
PriceFreeFree
Rating—2.8 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—5 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS6.1 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAdvaith JagathesanMarcus Lam

In-app purchases

None

PLANETS

No in-app purchases

None

Space Sandbox

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PLANETS free?
PLANETS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Space Sandbox free?
Space Sandbox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PLANETS or Space Sandbox have ads?
Neither PLANETS nor Space Sandbox shows ads.

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