Comparison

AR vs Real Solar System

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AR

Explore a realistic solar system in augmented reality. View planets and their movements up close in your environment, from your bedroom to the outdoors. A simple and immersive way to learn about space.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality solar system
  • Planet movement visualization
  • Detailed planet information
  • Immersive educational experience
  • Classroom and outdoor use
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Imagine yourself immersed in a solar system and watch closely every movement of planets as you want them to be. A cool and simple way of viewing the solar system! With AR - Solar System, you can explore science in whole new dimension. And look up for the details of every planet. This uses apple's new ARkit, through which you can delve into solar system wherever you want, whether it is your bedroom, classroom and outdoor garden.

About

Real Solar System

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This solar system simulator reflects actual planetary position information. When the app is launched, the sun is positioned 20 cm in front of the device, based on the device's position. Around it, the eight main planets of the solar system and the celestial body to be observed orbit. The orbits are displayed as if they were trajectories. The position of each planet is calculated based on actual values. # Features - x] Realistic solar system with ARKit - x] Orbits of the 8 planets are displayed. - x] Planets are realistic textures imported from USDZ files. - x] Planet positions are calculated based on real values (using Horizons API) - x] The object to be observed can be changed. - x] Display of the orbit of the object of interest - x] Calculate the position of the target object based on actual values (using the Horizons API). - x] Adjustable speed (minus value for reverse rotation) - x] Zoom function (zoom in/zoom out) - x] Toggle the display of the text information and the coordinate axis (New!) ## How to use 1. when you launch the application, you will be asked for "permission to use camera" at the first startup. If you allow it, an ARKit session will start. 2. 2. a coordinate axis will be placed 20 cm in front of you, based on the device's position. 3. Tap the "Load Planet" button to load the planet model. Just wait a moment. 4. The 8 main planets of the solar system and the object to be observed will orbit around it. 5. Move the device to observe the solar system from various angles. 6. Tap the buttons at the bottom of the screen to adjust the speed and zoom. 7. You can change the object to be observed from the menu in the upper right corner of the screen. 1. Halley's Comet 2. Hayabusa2 & Ryugyu 3. Voyager 1 & 2 4. New Horizons & Pluto 5. Cassini (New!) 6. OSIRIS-REx & Bennu 7. Comparison of Circle and Ellipse 8. Geocentric theory (New!) 8. Toggle the display of the text information and the coordinate axis from the menu in the upper right corner of the screen. (New!)

Screenshots

AR4 screens
Real Solar System4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AR at 5.0 against Real Solar System's 1.0. AR also leads on iOS requirement (11.1 vs 17.6). Real Solar System's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AR ships an update every 5 months, Real Solar System monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
AR versus Real Solar System: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterARReal Solar System
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.1 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB302 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAkshat GoelMasaya Nagaoka

In-app purchases

None

AR

No in-app purchases

None

Real Solar System

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AR free?
AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Real Solar System free?
Real Solar System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AR or Real Solar System?
AR is rated higher. AR averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Real Solar System averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do AR or Real Solar System have ads?
Neither AR nor Real Solar System shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AR or Real Solar System?
AR ships an update every 5 months, and Real Solar System monthly. Most recently, AR was updated on October 24, 2026 and Real Solar System on October 24, 2026.

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