# APOD vs AR Bubble

The clearest difference is rating: APOD at 4.8 against AR Bubble's 4.0. APOD also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 43 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 4). AR Bubble's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. APOD sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and AR Bubble sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

APOD holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: APOD has 1.2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of APOD's written reviews are positive against 100% of AR Bubble's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

APOD ships an update every 11 days, AR Bubble every 43 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | APOD | AR Bubble |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apod-astronomy-picture/id1144956536/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-bubble/id1450774810/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 62.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 43 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 76 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vibes LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618404243) | [Waltsoft Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/891505869) |

## What reviewers say

### APOD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apod-astronomy-picture/id1144956536)

Access NASA's daily astronomy images and explanations from professional astronomers. Explore stunning visuals of the universe, save your favorites, and share them with others.

**Highlights:** Daily NASA astronomy pictures, Brief explanations by astronomers, Access to the entire collection, Save photos to device, Share images with friends, Explore the universe

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscribe Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Subscribe Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| APOD | $5.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Awesome photos
- 🌌 Inspiring view of the universe
- 🌟 Reliable daily updates
- 🤩 Fascinating and educational content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 App not working/updating
- 💰 Requires subscription/payment
- 🔔 Intrusive notifications
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate/use

**Reported bugs**

- Photos not displaying correctly
- App crashing or freezing
- Sync/update issues

**Requested features**

- Search function for past photos
- Ability to save/download photos
- Improved photo captions and descriptions
- Option to change user profile/settings


### AR Bubble

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-bubble/id1450774810)

Experience the joy of blowing and popping virtual soap bubbles in your real environment using augmented reality. Interact by tapping or blowing into your device's microphone, and enjoy unique, shimmering bubbles that float and pop with satisfying effects.

**Highlights:** Blow virtual bubbles via tap or microphone, Pop bubbles with particle effects and haptic feedback, Create giant bubbles with long-press, Dynamic wind simulation for natural drift, Iridescent rainbow shimmer on bubbles, Live blow strength indicator

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is APOD free?

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

### Is AR Bubble free?

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

### Which has better reviews, APOD or AR Bubble?

APOD is rated higher. APOD averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while AR Bubble averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do APOD or AR Bubble have ads?

Neither APOD nor AR Bubble shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, APOD or AR Bubble?

APOD ships an update every 11 days, and AR Bubble every 43 months. Most recently, APOD was updated on November 6, 2026 and AR Bubble on November 2, 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.*