# Galaxy Map vs GPlates

The clearest difference is rating: Galaxy Map at 4.6 against GPlates's 2.7. Galaxy Map also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 44%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). GPlates's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. GPlates asks for nothing beyond the download.

Galaxy Map holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 609 ratings behind it against 7, 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 44% of GPlates's.

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, GPlates every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Galaxy Map | GPlates |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (609 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews)** | [2.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gplates/id6447170583/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **609** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **79.8% of reviews** | 44.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 632 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) | [Xiaodong Qin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1661896637) |

## 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)


### GPlates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gplates/id6447170583)

Explore Earth's geological history by reconstructing and visualizing spatial data through geological time. This tool offers an intuitive interface for students, teachers, researchers, and enthusiasts to understand our planet's evolution.

**Highlights:** Reconstruct spatial data, Visualize geological time, Intuitive interface, Explore Earth's history, Plate reconstruction software

**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 GPlates free?

GPlates is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Galaxy Map or GPlates?

Galaxy Map is rated higher. Galaxy Map averages 4.6 out of 5 from 609 ratings, while GPlates averages 2.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do Galaxy Map or GPlates have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; GPlates does not.

### Which is updated more often, Galaxy Map or GPlates?

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, and GPlates every 6 months. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on October 16, 2026 and GPlates on September 27, 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.*