# Galaxy Map vs Earth Rotation

The clearest difference is price: Galaxy Map at Free against Earth Rotation's $0.99. Galaxy Map also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 22 months) and ratings volume (610 vs 1). Earth Rotation's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Galaxy Map is free to download; Earth Rotation costs $0.99 up front. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Earth Rotation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Earth Rotation holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 610 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, Earth Rotation every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Galaxy Map | Earth Rotation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (610 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-rotation/id1610455878/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **610** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 79.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 632 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) | [Masahiro Tomosada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1587710118) |

## What reviewers say

### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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)


### Earth Rotation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-rotation/id1610455878)

Explore a 3D simulation of celestial bodies. Adjust rotation speeds, reverse direction, and alter lighting angles. Choose from three distinct Earth visual styles for an interactive learning experience.

**Highlights:** Adjustable rotation speed, Reverse rotation direction, Adjustable sun lighting angle, Three Earth visual styles, 3D celestial animation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Is Earth Rotation free?

Earth Rotation costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Galaxy Map or Earth Rotation?

Earth Rotation is rated higher. Galaxy Map averages 4.6 out of 5 from 610 ratings, while Earth Rotation averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Galaxy Map or Earth Rotation have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Earth Rotation does not.

### Which is updated more often, Galaxy Map or Earth Rotation?

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, and Earth Rotation every 22 months. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on October 21, 2026 and Earth Rotation on October 8, 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.*