Comparison

ARPlanets 2 vs VR Universe

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

Head to head
About

ARPlanets 2

Explore the augmented reality Solar System with interactive 3D models and intuitive gestures. Learn basic and advanced astronomy concepts through engaging AR lessons.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality Solar System exploration
  • Interactive 3D model manipulation
  • Discover celestial body details
  • AR-based astronomy lessons
  • User-friendly interface
Features
Read full description

Introducing ARPlanets 2! Completely rewritten from scratch to offer the ultimate user experience this app will bring the entire augmented reality Solar System into your pocket! The AR user experience is of the highest level with total control of the models thanks to intuitive gestures. The new great AR Lessons section will teach you with nice lessons in augmented reality basic astronomy concepts such as Kepler's Laws up to advanced notions such as differential photometry. Learning has never been so beautiful! -> Main features - User friendly user interface aimed at offering the maximum user experience - Completely manipulate 3D models thanks to very simple gestures. - Discover the names of the most interesting areas of the Moon, Mars and Jupiter simply by getting closer with your phone! - Learn notions of basic astronomy in augmented reality such as the Earth-Moon system and Kepler's Laws up to advanced topics such as differential photometry thanks to the AR Lessons section! Learning has never been so beautiful!

About

VR Universe

Explore the universe with interactive augmented and virtual reality experiences. Learn about space, planets, and the International Space Station through hands-on projects like building a planetarium and launching a rocket. Bring educational content to life by holding your device over a special book.

Highlights
  • Augmented and virtual reality experiences
  • Interactive space exploration
  • Hands-on science projects
  • Learn about planets and the solar system
  • Bring educational content to life
Features
Read full description

Join Professor Maxwell to explore the wonders of our universe with dozens of projects that come alive in augmented and virtual reality! Journey through space to learn about the Sun, our Solar System, planets, the International Space Station and more while experiencing it first-hand in immersive VR. Then get hands on with projects including launching a rocket, building a planetarium and creating a sundial to tell the time, all in Professor Maxwell’s VR Universe! To activate the experiences, simply download the app and hold your phone over the book included in the kit to see Professor Maxwell come to life!

Screenshots

ARPlanets 23 screens
VR Universe3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: VR Universe at 4.1 against ARPlanets 2's 3.3. VR Universe also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). ARPlanets 2's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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. ARPlanets 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. VR Universe asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VR Universe holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 30 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of ARPlanets 2's written reviews are positive against 60% of VR Universe's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ARPlanets 2 ships an update every 6 weeks, VR Universe every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
ARPlanets 2 versus VR Universe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterARPlanets 2VR Universe
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (15 ratings)4.1 (30 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1530 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size423 MB1.2 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaniele CitiAbacus

Customer experience

ARPlanets 2

All ratings15 ratings
Positive53.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%

VR Universe

All ratings30 ratings
Positive76.7%
Neutral3.3%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ARPlanets 2

One-time1
  • Full Access AR$1.99
None

VR Universe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ARPlanets 2 free?
ARPlanets 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VR Universe free?
VR Universe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ARPlanets 2 or VR Universe?
VR Universe is rated higher. ARPlanets 2 averages 3.3 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while VR Universe averages 4.1 from 30 ratings.
Do ARPlanets 2 or VR Universe have ads?
Neither ARPlanets 2 nor VR Universe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ARPlanets 2 or VR Universe?
ARPlanets 2 ships an update every 6 weeks, and VR Universe every 5 months. Most recently, ARPlanets 2 was updated on October 26, 2026 and VR Universe on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons