Comparison

Galaxy Map vs AR Orbits

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

Head to head
About

Galaxy Map

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
Read full description

The galaxy map is an interactive map of the Milky Way galaxy, Andromeda and their satellite galaxies. Explore the Orion Arm's nebulae and supernovae from the comfort of your spaceship. Fly through the atmosphere of Mars and many other planets and you can even land on them. Discover the galaxy in a stunning three dimensional map based on NASA's artistic impression of the Milky Way galactic structure. Photos are taken by NASA spacecraft and ground based telescopes like Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-Ray, Herschel Space Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope. This interactive 3D map is excellent for teachers to use for instruction, and it is a great astronomy resource for students to explore the Milky Way galaxy and space as they learn more about the universe we live in. Available in over 100 languages! You can also From the outskirts of the galaxy, in the Norma-Outer spiral arm to the galactic center's supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, discover a galaxy full of amazing facts. Notable structures included: the Pillars of Creation, Helix Nebula, the Engraved Hourglass Nebula, the Pleiades, the Orion Arm (where the solar system and the Earth are located) with its Orion belt. Check out neighboring dwarf galaxies such as Sagittarius and the Canis Major Overdensity, stellar streams as well as internal galactic components such as a variety of nebulae, star clusters or supernovae. Explore space and get a little closer to our wonderful universe with this awesome astronomy app! The Galaxy Map requires internet access to retrieve information from the wiki.

About

AR Orbits

Explore the solar system and understand satellite mechanics through augmented reality. This app simplifies complex astrophysics concepts, allowing users to create and plot their own orbits, making rocket science accessible for learning and homework.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality exploration
  • Satellite mechanics simulation
  • Orbit plotting and creation
  • Astrophysics homework assistance
  • Solar system discovery
Features
Read full description

Have you ever wondered how satellites work? The phone or tablet you’re holding right now is connected to the internet via satellites, which help you navigate your car, track the weather, and discover new and exciting things about the solar system we live in. With AR Orbits, anyone can become a rocket scientist with the tap of a button. Learn how to plot and create your own orbits, or use the app to help you with your astrophysics homework. Explore a world of physics with AR Orbits.

Screenshots

Galaxy Map4 screens
AR Orbits4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AR Orbits at none against Galaxy Map's 13. AR Orbits also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). Galaxy Map's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (609 vs 11). On price 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. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. AR Orbits asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AR Orbits holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 609 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Galaxy Map's written reviews are positive against 100% of AR Orbits's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, AR Orbits every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Galaxy Map versus AR Orbits: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGalaxy MapAR Orbits
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (609 ratings)4.9 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings609 — better11
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 18 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size601 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrei NistorescuTurner Thornberry

Customer experience

Galaxy Map

All ratings609 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.9%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews104 reviews
Positive79.8%
Neutral6.7%
Negative13.5%

AR Orbits

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Galaxy Map

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • 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
Show 4 more
  • Mars moon orbital speed incorrect
  • App kicks users out during exploration
  • Loading issues and incomplete functionality
  • Inconsistent performance across platforms

Requested features

18 requests
  • 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)
Show 13 more
  • Ability to click on stars within galaxies for details
  • Generated planets around stars
  • Sandbox/creation mode for user-generated content
  • Animation for Milky Way and Andromeda
  • More galaxy variety in the app
  • Coordinates filter for objects
  • Space-Engine style gameplay
  • Flying through galaxies feature
  • More female character customization options
  • VIP version option
  • Brown dwarfs addition
  • Photosphere viewing mode
  • More detailed star information

AR Orbits

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Galaxy Map

One-time13
  • Buy ship - Alien Destroyer$0.99
  • Buy ship - Alien fighter$0.99
  • Remove ads$1.99
Show 10 more
  • Buy ship - Alien Destroyer$1.99
  • Buy ship - Alien fighter$1.99
  • 3D Visualization Pack$1.99
  • Buy ship - Dragon Frigate$1.99
  • Essentials bundle - SALE$2.99
  • Remove ads$3.99
  • 3D Visualization Pack$3.99
  • Ultimate bundle - SALE$4.99
  • Essentials bundle$4.99
  • Ultimate bundle$8.99
None

AR Orbits

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Galaxy Map free?
Galaxy Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AR Orbits free?
AR Orbits is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Galaxy Map or AR Orbits?
AR Orbits is rated higher. Galaxy Map averages 4.6 out of 5 from 609 ratings, while AR Orbits averages 4.9 from 11 ratings.
Do Galaxy Map or AR Orbits have ads?
Galaxy Map shows ads; AR Orbits does not.
Which is updated more often, Galaxy Map or AR Orbits?
Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, and AR Orbits every 18 months. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on October 12, 2026 and AR Orbits on September 23, 2026.

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