# APOD vs Solar System Simulator

The clearest difference is update cadence: APOD at every 11 days against Solar System Simulator's every 8 months. APOD also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 78). Solar System Simulator's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 63%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. APOD sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Solar System Simulator 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 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: APOD has 1.2K ratings behind it against 78, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of APOD's written reviews are positive against 86% of Solar System Simulator'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, Solar System Simulator every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | APOD | Solar System Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apod-astronomy-picture/id1144956536/reviews)** | [4.6 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-simulator-ar-3d/id1494640887/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 78 |
| Positive reviews | 62.9% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 76 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vibes LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618404243) | [Darren Tracey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494640886) |

## 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


### Solar System Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-simulator-ar-3d/id1494640887)

Explore the solar system in augmented reality, bringing planets and their orbits to life. Discover detailed facts and high-definition surface images for each celestial body. Witness the dynamic movement of planets rotating and revolving around the sun.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality solar system visualization, Planet orbits and rotation simulation, Detailed planet facts, High-definition planet surface images, Full solar system view

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is APOD free?

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

### Is Solar System Simulator free?

Solar System Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, APOD or Solar System Simulator?

APOD is rated higher. APOD averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Solar System Simulator averages 4.6 from 78 ratings.

### Do APOD or Solar System Simulator have ads?

Neither APOD nor Solar System Simulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, APOD or Solar System Simulator?

APOD ships an update every 11 days, and Solar System Simulator every 8 months. Most recently, APOD was updated on November 6, 2026 and Solar System Simulator on November 13, 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.*