# AR Moon vs Sandbox Planet

The clearest difference is rating: Sandbox Planet at 4.5 against AR Moon's 3.2. Sandbox Planet also leads on ratings volume (303 vs 5). AR Moon's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (80% vs 52%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AR Moon sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Sandbox Planet sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sandbox Planet holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox Planet has 303 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of AR Moon's written reviews are positive against 52% of Sandbox Planet's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

AR Moon ships an update fortnightly, Sandbox Planet every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AR Moon | Sandbox Planet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-moon-explore-solar-system/id1287945174/reviews) | **[4.5 (303 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-planet/id1527841661/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **303** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 51.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 238 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shenzhen Augmreal Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/779445557) | [Oscar Tsang](https://appshunter.io/developer/416987065) |

## What reviewers say

### AR Moon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-moon-explore-solar-system/id1287945174)

Explore the lunar surface through an augmented reality portal on your iPhone. Help an astronaut complete missions, overcome challenges, and escape dangers on a mysterious Moon.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality lunar exploration, Interactive astronaut missions, Solve lunar rover challenges, Escape dangers on the Moon, Explore mysterious lunar surface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Stages | $0.99 | one-time |
| unlock all the stars | $2.99 | one-time |


### Sandbox Planet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-planet/id1527841661)

Create and customize your own solar systems and planets. Emulate the development of the universe with highly detailed simulation tools. Build any celestial body you can imagine.

**Highlights:** Solar system simulation, Planet building, Universe emulation, Customizable creation, Celestial body design

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5000 GP | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ad | $2.99 | one-time |
| 25000 GP | $5.99 | one-time |
| 50000 GP | $9.99 | one-time |
| 120000 GP | $19.99 | one-time |
| 200000 GP | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very fun and enjoyable game
- ✨ Beautiful graphics
- 🌌 Great sandbox experience
- 🎮 Compatible with iOS 18
- 🌠 Ability to design planets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive in-app purchases
- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 📉 Slow progression without spending
- 😩 Ads are frequent and intrusive
- ⏳ Takes too long to create planets

**Reported bugs**

- Advertisements have non-functional close buttons
- App crashes frequently
- Video ads for currency don't load
- Bug with GP conversion where it decreases
- Daytime interface is too bright

**Requested features**

- Random planets and stars should spawn
- Add currency earning methods
- Allow naming of planets
- Add more content
- Make the game harder


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AR Moon free?

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

### Is Sandbox Planet free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AR Moon or Sandbox Planet?

Sandbox Planet is rated higher. AR Moon averages 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Sandbox Planet averages 4.5 from 303 ratings.

### Do AR Moon or Sandbox Planet have ads?

Sandbox Planet shows ads; AR Moon does not.

### Which is updated more often, AR Moon or Sandbox Planet?

AR Moon ships an update fortnightly, and Sandbox Planet every 3 months. Most recently, AR Moon was updated on October 24, 2026 and Sandbox Planet on October 24, 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.*