# Backyard Apollo AR vs SkyEngine

The clearest difference is update cadence: SkyEngine at every 8 days against Backyard Apollo AR's every 7 months. Backyard Apollo AR's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Backyard Apollo AR ships an update every 7 months, SkyEngine every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backyard Apollo AR | SkyEngine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyard-apollo-ar/id1258795104/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 69.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 82 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wobbleworks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/404664339) | [ZIRUI LYU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896284758) |

## 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


### SkyEngine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyengine/id6766723696)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backyard Apollo AR free?

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

### Is SkyEngine free?

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

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

Neither Backyard Apollo AR nor SkyEngine shows ads.

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

Backyard Apollo AR ships an update every 7 months, and SkyEngine every 8 days. Most recently, Backyard Apollo AR was updated on November 2, 2026 and SkyEngine on October 31, 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.*