Comparison

Galaxy Map vs Solar System Simulation

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

Solar System Simulation

Explore the cosmos with interactive 3D models of planets and moons. Witness the dynamic interplay of gravitational forces through orbit simulations and gain educational insights into celestial bodies. Discover the beauty of our solar neighborhood in a new dimension.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D planet models
  • Orbit simulation
  • Educational insights
  • Zoom and rotate functionality
  • Detailed planet information
Features
Read full description

Introducing "Solar System Simulation" an immersive app that takes you on an awe-inspiring journey through the vast wonders of the Solar System. Whether you're a space enthusiast, a student, or just curious about the cosmos, this app brings the celestial bodies to life in stunning three-dimensional detail. The app is for iOS and macOS. Key Features: Interactive 3D Models: Explore the planets and moon in our Solar System with realistic 3D models. Zoom in for close-ups, rotate to view from different angles, and read planet details. Orbit Simulation: Observe planetary orbits experiencing the dynamic interplay of gravitational forces. Educational Insights: The app provides details about the planets with each future version adding more educational information. Explore, learn, and marvel at the beauty of our cosmic neighbourhood in a whole new dimension. For navigation around planets using touch to rotate.

Screenshots

Galaxy Map4 screens
Solar System Simulation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Galaxy Map at Free against Solar System Simulation's $5.99. Galaxy Map also leads on ratings volume (609 vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Solar System Simulation'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.

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

Galaxy Map is free to download; Solar System Simulation costs $5.99 up front. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Solar System Simulation asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Solar System Simulation holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 609 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, Solar System Simulation every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Galaxy Map versus Solar System Simulation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGalaxy MapSolar System Simulation
PriceFree — better$5.99
Rating4.6 (609 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings609 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size601 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrei NistorescuTaliyo Ltd

Customer experience

Galaxy Map

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

Solar System Simulation

All ratings1 ratings
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

Solar System Simulation

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

Solar System Simulation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Galaxy Map free?
Galaxy Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Solar System Simulation free?
Solar System Simulation costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Galaxy Map or Solar System Simulation?
Solar System Simulation is rated higher. Galaxy Map averages 4.6 out of 5 from 609 ratings, while Solar System Simulation averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Galaxy Map or Solar System Simulation have ads?
Galaxy Map shows ads; Solar System Simulation does not.
Which is updated more often, Galaxy Map or Solar System Simulation?
Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, and Solar System Simulation every 5 months. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on October 12, 2026 and Solar System Simulation on October 10, 2026.

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