# ISS Explorer vs Zenith

The clearest difference is ratings volume: ISS Explorer at 16 against Zenith's 5. ISS Explorer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ISS Explorer against 4.8 for Zenith. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 5 respectively.

ISS Explorer ships an update every 10 months, Zenith every 13 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ISS Explorer | Zenith |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-explorer/id1429876038/reviews)** | [4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenith-iss-live-tracker/id6630373131/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 months** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 747 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Aurelien Grifasi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143814442) |

## 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


### Zenith

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenith-iss-live-tracker/id6630373131)

Explore Earth in a 3D simulation and track the International Space Station's real-time orbit. Experience a rotating planet with dynamic soundscapes and see the current number of astronauts on board.

**Highlights:** 3D Earth simulation, Real-time ISS orbit tracking, Live astronaut count, Dynamic soundscapes, Earth rotation view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ISS Explorer free?

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

### Is Zenith free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ISS Explorer or Zenith?

ISS Explorer is rated higher. ISS Explorer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Zenith averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do ISS Explorer or Zenith have ads?

Neither ISS Explorer nor Zenith shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ISS Explorer or Zenith?

ISS Explorer ships an update every 10 months, and Zenith every 13 months. Most recently, ISS Explorer was updated on October 24, 2026 and Zenith 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.*