# Pocket Galaxy vs Spaceflight Simulator

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket Galaxy at none against Spaceflight Simulator's 11. Pocket Galaxy also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Spaceflight Simulator's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 months). On price, review sentiment, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spaceflight Simulator sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Pocket Galaxy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Spaceflight Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25K and 97K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Pocket Galaxy's written reviews are positive against 86% of Spaceflight Simulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pocket Galaxy ships an update every 6 months, Spaceflight Simulator every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Galaxy | Spaceflight Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-galaxy-gravity-sandbox/id1248321746/reviews) | **[4.8 (97K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceflight-simulator/id1308057272/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 25K | **97K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 133 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket Labs UK](https://appshunter.io/developer/1214937202) | [Spaceflight Simulator UK Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1308057271) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Galaxy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-galaxy-gravity-sandbox/id1248321746)

Design and simulate your own universe with realistic physics. Customize planets, stars, and moons, then watch them interact. Destroy solar systems with powerful tools or explore the life that develops in your creations.

**Highlights:** Create and customize your own universe, Simulate realistic planet orbits and physics, Destroy solar systems with various tools, Explore and unlock new planet types, Beautiful 3D graphics and space simulation, Save and load your universe creations

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 🚀 Amazing
- 👍 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Realistic graphics and physics
- 👍 Allows creating own solar systems

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Difficult to get planets into stable orbits
- 🐛 Planets often get pulled out of habitable zones
- 🔒 Limited number of planets/objects without watching ads
- 🐛 Confusing or unintuitive controls
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Planets sometimes disappear or get stuck out of bounds
- Wormholes cause app to become unresponsive
- Collision effects can obscure the screen
- Planet orbits sometimes behave erratically

**Requested features**

- Add more types of stars (red/blue dwarfs, supergiants, neutron stars, etc.)
- Improve planet/moon orbiting mechanics
- Increase camera zoom and viewing distance
- Add ability to customize planet atmospheres and life
- Implement space exploration and colonization features


### Spaceflight Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spaceflight-simulator/id1308057272)

Build and launch rockets to explore a realistic, open universe. Experience space exploration with accurate physics and a vast, explorable solar system.

**Highlights:** Build custom rockets, Realistic orbital mechanics, Explore a scaled universe, Visit planets and moons, Open-world space exploration, Real-life physics simulation

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skins Expansion | $2.99 | one-time |
| Full Version | $3.99 | one-time |
| Redstone + Atlas Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Parts Expansion | $4.99 | one-time |
| Infinite Area Expansion | $4.99 | one-time |
| Expansion Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Cheats Expansion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Full Bundle Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |
| Full Bundle | $11.99 | one-time |
| Full Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic physics and space simulation
- 👍 Intuitive controls and easy to learn
- 🚀 Ability to build complex rockets and spacecraft
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases required to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches, especially with large rockets
- 🔋 Potential performance issues on older devices
- 🔒 Limited customization and part options in free version
- 🚀 Docking and rendezvous maneuvers can be very challenging

**Reported bugs**

- Rocket parts sometimes clipping through each other
- Occasional freezing or crashing when launching large rockets
- Issues with RCS thrusters firing unexpectedly during docking
- Problems with maintaining stable orbits and transfers

**Requested features**

- Add more planets, moons, and celestial bodies to explore
- Implement a career mode or progression system with challenges
- Allow for more customization of rocket parts and spacecraft
- Improve docking and rendezvous mechanics to make them more accessible
- Add the ability to control individual astronauts and perform EVAs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Galaxy free?

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

### Is Spaceflight Simulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Galaxy or Spaceflight Simulator?

Spaceflight Simulator is rated higher. Pocket Galaxy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Spaceflight Simulator averages 4.8 from 97K ratings.

### Do Pocket Galaxy or Spaceflight Simulator have ads?

Pocket Galaxy shows ads; Spaceflight Simulator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Galaxy or Spaceflight Simulator?

Pocket Galaxy ships an update every 6 months, and Spaceflight Simulator every 9 days. Most recently, Pocket Galaxy was updated on September 25, 2026 and Spaceflight Simulator on September 25, 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.*