# Backyard Apollo AR vs solAR

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Backyard Apollo AR at none against solAR's 1. solAR's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. solAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Backyard Apollo AR asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backyard Apollo AR holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 2.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Backyard Apollo AR's written reviews are positive against 67% of solAR's.

Backyard Apollo AR ships an update every 7 months, solAR every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backyard Apollo AR | solAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-apollo-ar/id1258795104/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-solar-system-in-ar/id1286558019/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **69.6% of reviews** | 67.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 82 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wobbleworks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/404664339) | [Michael Stoeckli](https://appshunter.io/developer/368788110) |

## What reviewers say

### Backyard Apollo AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-apollo-ar/id1258795104)

Experience a life-sized Apollo Saturn V rocket in augmented reality. Explore it from all angles, walk around it, and launch it with realistic sounds and visuals. Customize your rocket experience and share snapshots.

**Highlights:** Life-sized rocket model, 360-degree viewing, Augmented reality placement, Realistic launch sequence, Authentic mission sounds, Customizable rocket experience, Snapshot sharing

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic rocket simulation
- 👍 Engaging and educational experience
- 💡 Potential for more rocket models
- 👍 Free to download

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Camera authorization issues
- 🔋 High memory and storage usage
- 🐛 Compatibility problems on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Startup crashes and sensor reset loops
- Rocket launch sequence freezes
- Persistent audio issues after app closure

**Requested features**

- Add more rocket models and launch configurations
- Implement video recording capability
- Improve overall stability and performance


### solAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-solar-system-in-ar/id1286558019)

Explore the solar system in 3D and augmented reality. View planets, moons, and the sun in high resolution, placing them in your real-world environment. Adjust distances and scales for an immersive educational experience.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality solar system exploration, High-resolution 3D models of planets and moons, Place celestial bodies in real-world environments, Adjustable planet and moon scale, Interactive learning about space, Intuitive gesture controls

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Activate all Celestial Bodies | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic and detailed planets
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🌟 Great AR implementation
- 💡 Helpful for learning about the solar system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid content required to access full features
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially after updates
- ⚠️ Inaccurate scale and proportions of planets/moons
- 🔧 Settings and controls not always intuitive

**Reported bugs**

- Planets not rendering properly in iOS 16
- Purchased content not unlocking correctly
- Frequent crashes and performance issues

**Requested features**

- Add more planets and dwarf planets
- Improve accuracy of scale and orbital mechanics
- Provide more educational information about planets
- Allow free access to full solar system view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backyard Apollo AR free?

Backyard Apollo AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is solAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backyard Apollo AR or solAR?

Backyard Apollo AR is rated higher. Backyard Apollo AR averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while solAR averages 4.6 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do Backyard Apollo AR or solAR have ads?

Neither Backyard Apollo AR nor solAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Backyard Apollo AR or solAR?

Backyard Apollo AR ships an update every 7 months, and solAR every 3 months. Most recently, Backyard Apollo AR was updated on November 2, 2026 and solAR on November 3, 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.*