# micro by THIX vs Celestia

The clearest difference is price: Celestia at Free against micro by THIX's $1.99. Celestia also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). micro by THIX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Celestia is free to download; micro by THIX costs $1.99 up front. Celestia sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. micro by THIX asks for nothing beyond the download.

Celestia holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Celestia has 337 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of micro by THIX's written reviews are positive against 79% of Celestia's.

micro by THIX ships an update every 10 months, Celestia fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | micro by THIX | Celestia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/micro-by-thix/id1458231552/reviews) | **[4.4 (337 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 28 | **337** |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 88 MB | 550 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [THIX LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/433373206) | [林峰 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1186547508) |

## What reviewers say

### micro by THIX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/micro-by-thix/id1458231552)

Simulate the creation and evolution of microorganisms. Explore natural selection, mutation, and inter-microbial conflict in a dynamic, educational sandbox. Experiment with environmental factors and genetic traits to discover new life forms.

**Highlights:** Create bacteria, viruses, and fungi, Observe natural selection, Learn microbiology interactively, Edit genetic attributes, Experiment with environmental factors, Collect microbes in a library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Celestia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829)

Explore the universe in real-time 3D. Visit planets, moons, star clusters, and galaxies, viewing them from any point in space and time. Customize your experience with expandable content and detailed simulations.

**Highlights:** Real-time 3D space visualization, Explore planets, moons, stars, galaxies, Accurate solar system object positions, Interactive planetarium mode, Expandable content with add-ons, Customizable celestial databases

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Celestia PLUS (Weekly) | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Celestia PLUS (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Celestia PLUS (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Celestia PLUS (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Realistic space simulation
- 🌌 Ability to explore galaxies and star systems
- 🔍 Detailed planet and moon textures
- 📷 Great for taking screenshots
- 🤖 Reminds users of Space Engine

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🌌 Limited exploration beyond Milky Way and Andromeda
- 🌍 Flat terrain on planets
- 🔍 Lack of detail on some celestial objects
- 🔒 Paywall for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Milky Way and other galaxy textures not loading properly
- Crashes when using certain add-ons
- Issues with planet and moon orbits not being accurate

**Requested features**

- Add more exoplanets and distant star systems
- Implement terrain generation for planets
- Expand to include more galaxies and the overall universe structure
- Add support for black holes, pulsars, and other exotic objects
- Improve controls and camera movement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is micro by THIX free?

micro by THIX costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Celestia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, micro by THIX or Celestia?

Celestia is rated higher. micro by THIX averages 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Celestia averages 4.4 from 337 ratings.

### Do micro by THIX or Celestia have ads?

Neither micro by THIX nor Celestia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, micro by THIX or Celestia?

micro by THIX ships an update every 10 months, and Celestia fortnightly. Most recently, micro by THIX was updated on October 18, 2026 and Celestia on October 20, 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.*