# solAR vs Planetaria

The clearest difference is rating: solAR at 4.9 against Planetaria's 4.7. solAR also leads on device support (5 vs 3) and ratings volume (33 vs 9). Planetaria's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 38%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

solAR costs $4.99 and Planetaria $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

solAR holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 33 and 9 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of solAR's written reviews are positive against 50% of Planetaria's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

solAR ships an update every 4 months, Planetaria every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | solAR | Planetaria |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-full-version/id1447421737/reviews)** | [4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetaria-space-simulator/id1546887479/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **33** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 43 MB | 510 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Stoeckli](https://appshunter.io/developer/368788110) | [Joseph Rupertus](https://appshunter.io/developer/1610637143) |

## What reviewers say

### solAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-full-version/id1447421737)

Explore the solar system in 3D and augmented reality. Visualize planets and moons in your environment, adjust their scale, and learn fascinating facts. Ideal for parents, educators, and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** 3D solar system exploration, Augmented reality integration, Planet and moon visualization, Adjustable scale for relative size, High-resolution graphics, Educational content

**In-app purchases:** none


### Planetaria

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetaria-space-simulator/id1546887479)

Explore a dynamic 3D model of the Solar System, synchronizing with real-time data to show celestial bodies in orbit. Discover planets, dwarf planets, and moons with detailed surface models. Manipulate time to view past and future solar system configurations.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D Solar System model, Real-time celestial body positions, Detailed 3D surface models, Explore planets, dwarf planets, and moons, Time manipulation (past/future), AR integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is solAR free?

solAR costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planetaria free?

Planetaria costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, solAR or Planetaria?

solAR is rated higher. solAR averages 4.9 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Planetaria averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do solAR or Planetaria have ads?

Neither solAR nor Planetaria shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, solAR or Planetaria?

solAR ships an update every 4 months, and Planetaria every 5 months. Most recently, solAR was updated on September 9, 2026 and Planetaria on September 2, 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.*