Comparison

Solar Coaster vs Graviton Sim

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

Head to head
About

Solar Coaster

Visualize the precise movements of the Sun and Moon with 3D graphs, eclipse details, and rise/set times. This app offers offline calculations for celestial positions and moon phases, making it ideal for astronomy enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • 3D movement graphs
  • Eclipse information and circumstances
  • Rise and set times
  • Moon phase and illumination
  • Offline astronomical data
  • Local horizontal coordinate system
Features
Read full description

Solar Coaster provides accurate position, time, motion and eclipse information for Earth's nearest star, Sol, our Sun, and nearest celestial body, Luna, our Moon. Information includes 3D movement graphs, upcoming eclipses and their circumstances, rise and set times, positions, distances and velocities, moon phase, illumination and crescent rotation. Solar Coaster automatically updates its state every minute, or you can examine minutes randomly. The simulation uses a local horizontal coordinate system when displaying information, which essentially means that your current position is the center of the Universe and all calculated values are relative to you. Sun and Moon positions are also available in equatorial coordinates. Solar Coaster stores enough onboard astronomical data to keep it running through the year 2100 AD, which means that all calculations can be performed locally without the need of a network connection — useful while in the wild chasing an eclipse. Algorithms are accurate at all longitudes, and latitudes between -61° south and +60° north (roughly speaking, locations outside the Polar regions). Of course, you must have Location Services enabled and allow Solar Coaster to access your position for accurate simulation results, and to properly detect eclipses visible at your location. You can also allow Notification Center to keep you informed when those eclipses will occur. Solar Coaster comes in various flavors: for iOS a native App; and for macOS a native App, Screen Saver and Web App.

About

Graviton Sim

Explore the fascinating world of gravity and orbital mechanics through interactive physics simulations. This application allows users to experiment with gravitational forces and observe celestial body interactions. It's designed for educational purposes, making complex concepts accessible.

Highlights
  • Gravity physics simulation
  • Orbital mechanics exploration
  • Celestial body interactions
  • Interactive experimentation
  • Educational tool
Read full description

A physics simulation exploring gravitational dynamics and orbital mechanics.

Screenshots

Solar Coaster4 screens
Graviton Sim4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Solar Coaster at 5.0 against Graviton Sim's 1.0. Graviton Sim's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Solar Coaster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solar Coaster ships an update every 3 months, Graviton Sim every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Solar Coaster versus Graviton Sim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar CoasterGraviton Sim
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSteve LidieScott Carnett

In-app purchases

None

Solar Coaster

No in-app purchases

None

Graviton Sim

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Solar Coaster free?
Solar Coaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Graviton Sim free?
Graviton Sim is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Solar Coaster or Graviton Sim?
Solar Coaster is rated higher. Solar Coaster averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Graviton Sim averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Solar Coaster or Graviton Sim have ads?
Neither Solar Coaster nor Graviton Sim shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Solar Coaster or Graviton Sim?
Solar Coaster ships an update every 3 months, and Graviton Sim every 9 days. Most recently, Solar Coaster was updated on November 2, 2026 and Graviton Sim on October 30, 2026.

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