# solAR vs HoppAR

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HoppAR at 85% against solAR's 67%. HoppAR also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6). solAR's advantage is device support (5 vs 3) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 588). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. solAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and HoppAR sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HoppAR holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.1K and 588 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of solAR's written reviews are positive against 85% of HoppAR's.

solAR ships an update every 3 months, HoppAR every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | solAR | HoppAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-solar-system-in-ar/id1286558019/reviews) | **[4.8 (588 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoppar/id1497739070/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 588 |
| Positive reviews | 67.4% of reviews | **85.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 43 MB | 372 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Stoeckli](https://appshunter.io/developer/368788110) | [Josef Grunig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497739069) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### HoppAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoppar/id1497739070)

Experience rocket launches and landings in augmented reality. Control thrust vectoring, perform engine test fires, and customize rockets with your own colors. Explore a variety of real spacecraft and space mission scenarios.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality rocket launches, Manual thrust vectoring control, Rocket engine test fires, Customizable rocket coloring, Variety of real spacecraft models, Entry, Descent, and Landing simulations, Indoor and Outdoor AR modes

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HoppAR Supporter | $7.99 | per year |
| FALCON HEAVY | $0.99 | one-time |
| STARSHIP Belly Flop | $0.99 | one-time |
| SUPER HEAVY | $0.99 | one-time |
| DELTA IV HEAVY | $0.99 | one-time |
| PERSEVERANCE | $0.99 | one-time |
| DRONESHIP OCISLY | $0.99 | one-time |
| ARTEMIS I | $0.99 | one-time |
| SOYUZ | $0.99 | one-time |
| SATURN V | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent AR simulation and gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 High-quality rocket models and realistic designs
- 🎵 Great music and audio (with some caveats)
- 📱 Well-made and polished app overall
- 🌟 Immersive and satisfying launch experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Premium rockets locked behind paywall
- 🐛 AR functionality issues on some devices
- 📱 Orientation requirement (vertical/horizontal) frustrating
- ⏱️ Limited gameplay - rockets auto-launch and auto-land
- 🎬 Short 5-second clips lack player control

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen on horizontal surface scanning
- Camera not working on certain devices
- App won't open or crashes on startup
- Gray screen display issue
- iPad AR compatibility problems

**Requested features**

- Space Shuttle addition
- Manual control for Falcon 9 and Dragon
- Free access to premium rockets
- Launch towers for all rockets
- Soyuz rocket


## Frequently asked questions

### Is solAR free?

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

### Is HoppAR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, solAR or HoppAR?

HoppAR is rated higher. solAR averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while HoppAR averages 4.8 from 588 ratings.

### Do solAR or HoppAR have ads?

Neither solAR nor HoppAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, solAR or HoppAR?

solAR ships an update every 3 months, and HoppAR every 2 months. Most recently, solAR was updated on November 3, 2026 and HoppAR 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.*