NEOscan vs 3D Star Map
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NEOscan
Explore near-Earth objects like asteroids and comets. Visualize their positions relative to Earth and the Moon, and understand their sizes through familiar comparisons. Data is sourced from NASA's Small Body Database.
- Discover asteroids and comets
- Filter by type, approach time, distance, and diameter
- Earth-Moon model visualization
- Size comparison to familiar objects
- Data from NASA's Small Body Database
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This app helps you discover near-Earth objects (NEOs). Filter by their type (asteroid or comet), closest approach time, closest distance, and diameter. For each NEO, the app shows you an Earth-Moon model with the asteroid (or comet) indicated at the proper location. The app also helps you understand the NEO's size by comparing it to a familiar object. The data on NEOs is provided by NASA's Small Body Database (SBDB) and SBDB Close-Approach Data APIs.
3D Star Map
Explore over 700 stars in our local star cluster in a 3D space simulation. Zoom, rotate, and learn about neighboring star systems with detailed information available on tap. Perfect for research or satisfying cosmic curiosity.
- 3D space exploration
- Over 700 local stars
- Detailed star information
- Zoom, rotate, and move
- Relaxing animations
- Educational content
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Explore the local cluster with over 700 stars around our Sun! Zoom, rotate, and move through the 3D space surrounding our solar system, and learn about our neighboring star systems. Tap on a star for detailed information about it, or just wander through space with beautiful and relaxing animations. Whether you're using it for research or just to feed your insatiable curiosity, the 3D Star Map is here to help you learn more about our place in the universe!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: 3D Star Map at 100% against NEOscan's 50%. 3D Star Map also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.7) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 12 months). NEOscan's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
3D Star Map holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of NEOscan's written reviews are positive against 100% of 3D Star Map's.
NEOscan ships an update every 12 months, 3D Star Map every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.
| Parameter | NEOscan | 3D Star Map |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (7 ratings) | 4.4 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 9 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 100 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Carlos Anderson | Alexander Winn |
Customer experience
NEOscan
3D Star Map
In-app purchases
NEOscan
No in-app purchases
3D Star Map
No in-app purchases
