# ISS Explorer vs GlobeViewer Moon

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ISS Explorer at 100% against GlobeViewer Moon's 0%. ISS Explorer also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). GlobeViewer Moon's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GlobeViewer Moon sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. ISS Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ISS Explorer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ISS Explorer has 16 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ISS Explorer's written reviews are positive against 0% of GlobeViewer Moon's.

ISS Explorer ships an update every 10 months, GlobeViewer Moon every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and August 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ISS Explorer | GlobeViewer Moon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-explorer/id1429876038/reviews)** | [2.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globeviewer-moon/id1521271990/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 747 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [RAB-Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/543575684) |

## What reviewers say

### ISS Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-explorer/id1429876038)

Explore a detailed 3D model of the International Space Station. Rotate, zoom, and select individual components to learn about their function and systems. Organize your view by turning parts and labels on or off.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D ISS model, Rotate and zoom functionality, Selectable parts with isolation, Detailed information on components, Hierarchical part organization, Toggle parts and labels

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### GlobeViewer Moon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globeviewer-moon/id1521271990)

Explore a detailed 3D model of the moon's surface with interactive globe and high-resolution map views. Discover craters, grooves, and other features with four distinct map modes, utilizing data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This app offers adjustable lighting for enhanced visibility and is designed to be a valuable tool for telescope users.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D moon globe, High-resolution 3D map view, Four map modes (elevation, photo, combined, telescope), Adjustable lighting for feature visibility, Data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Telescope mode with realistic lighting and moon phase simulation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Front | $9.99 | one-time |
| Moon front side only | $13.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Pro | $14.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Pro | $23.99 | one-time |
| Professional version | $26.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ISS Explorer free?

ISS Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is GlobeViewer Moon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ISS Explorer or GlobeViewer Moon?

ISS Explorer is rated higher. ISS Explorer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while GlobeViewer Moon averages 2.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do ISS Explorer or GlobeViewer Moon have ads?

GlobeViewer Moon shows ads; ISS Explorer does not.

### Which is updated more often, ISS Explorer or GlobeViewer Moon?

ISS Explorer ships an update every 10 months, and GlobeViewer Moon every 3 months. Most recently, ISS Explorer was updated on September 7, 2026 and GlobeViewer Moon on August 23, 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.*