# Galaxy Map vs Planetarium

The clearest difference is ads: Planetarium at none against Galaxy Map's shown. Planetarium also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 80%) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Planetarium sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Galaxy Map ships an update every 3 weeks, Planetarium every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Galaxy Map | Planetarium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (617 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **617** | — |
| Positive reviews | 79.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 655 MB | 183 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) | [雪飞 鲍](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481173071) |

## 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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| 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)


### Planetarium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetarium-stargazing-guide/id6754314064)

Explore the cosmos with a realistic virtual sky map. Identify stars, planets, and constellations using AR, and simulate celestial events. Access a vast knowledge base for an immersive astronomical learning experience.

**Highlights:** Realistic star and sky simulation, AR real-time celestial identification, Constellation and star information, Celestial phenomenon simulation, Extensive astronomical knowledge base, Diverse observation modes, Night mode for reduced light pollution

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Member | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Member | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Is Planetarium free?

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

### Do Galaxy Map or Planetarium have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Planetarium does not.

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

Galaxy Map ships an update every 3 weeks, and Planetarium every 11 days. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on November 6, 2026 and Planetarium on November 5, 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.*