Comparison

SolarSystem vs Heliosphere

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

Head to head
About

SolarSystem

Explore the solar system through immersive MR, VR, and AR experiences. Adjust settings for your device and preferred viewing mode to learn about planets and space.

Highlights
  • Mixed Reality (MR) mode
  • Virtual Reality (VR) mode
  • Augmented Reality (AR) mode
  • Adjustable screen size
  • Single eye/Dual eye mode
  • Inter-pupillary distance correction
Read full description

iPhone 1: Start the app while tilting the iPhone 90 degrees left, then set the iPhone to the MR glass "Dangla". 2: You can check the menu by looking at Dangla. When only planetary motion is displayed or the menu does not display well in the field of view, tapping the left button of Dangla with the front facing will display the menu in the front. 3: With the body facing to the right, move the sphere cursor at the center of the screen to the right edge [System menu] of the three menus, and tap the right button (hereinafter "Select"). 4: Next, Select the [Screen size] at the left end of the menu, and a list of compatible models will appear. Select the iPhone model you are using, and then Select [Decision] to confirm the model you are using. 5: Select the scene you want to experience from the [MR] [VR] [AR] that on main menu, and enjoy the application. 6: While using the app, tap the left button of Dangla at any time to display the menu. The functions and roles of each menu are as follows. ***Menu immediately after app start or restart*** [Restart] Returns to the state(menu) immediately after the application start [front] Display the content (SolarSystem) to the Straight ahead. [System menu] Move to main menu ***Main menu*** [ScreenSize] Select the model from iPhone 6S to XS MAX ※ In order to fit the size of the iPhone screen to the size of the mirror and lens, the screen display will be relatively shrunk as the LCD screen size of the iPhone increases. [Two eyes / Single eye] Switch the single eye / both eyes mode [IPD] Correct inter-pupil distance by program [MR] Mixed reality mode, background image is displayed superimposed with live-action image through the half mirror [VR] Virtual reality mode, both solar system and background space display 3D produced images [AR] Augmented reality mode, background image is displayed superimposed with live-action image through iPhone camera [Startup setting] (a preliminary menu for developers) iPad 1: Start the app while tilting the iPad 90 degrees left. Since the iPad can not be put in a Dangla, please enjoy using single eye mode alone. (Explained in 5 :) 2: Menu is displayed on the screen of iPad. If you only see the planet or if the menu does not look well, tapping the lower left corner of the screen while facing the front will bring the menu to the front. 3: Point the your body to the right, place the sphere cursor on the [System menu] on the far right, and tap the lower right of the screen (hereinafter "Select"). 4: Next, Select the [Screen Size] at the left end of the menu to display the list of compatible models. Select (Not [Maximum XS-Max])[Minimum 6S-7-8 Full Screen] and Select [Decision]. 5: Next, Select [Two eyes / Single eye], and when the screen changes, Select [Single eye]. 6: While using the app, tap the lower left of the iPad screen at any time to display the menu. The function and role of each menu are the same as the above iPhone. 【please note】 ・ Do not use this app on public roads or places with many people. ・ Please be sure to play small children always in the safe with parents. ・ Don't aim "Dangla” at the sun. ・ Don't use in the two eyes mode if you are under the age of 13 in the developmental stage of vision ・ We do not compensate for the damage caused by using this application directly or indirectly.

About

Heliosphere

Explore a real-time 3D simulation of the solar system, planets, moons, and spacecraft using accurate astronomical data. Learn about celestial bodies and space missions with educational content and quizzes.

Highlights
  • Real-time 3D solar system simulation
  • Live spacecraft tracking
  • Deep sky exploration
  • Comprehensive astronomy education
  • Time travel from 1900 to 2100
  • Planet-centric viewing mode
Features
Read full description

Explore the solar system at your fingertips. Heliosphere is a real-time 3D solar system simulation powered by NASA JPL Horizons data. It accurately recreates the orbits of planets, moons, comets, and dwarf planets while tracking the real positions of active spacecraft. * Real-time 3D Solar System Simulation — 8 planets, 5 dwarf planets, 10+ moons, and 4 comets — Precise Keplerian orbit calculations based on real astronomical data — Time travel from 1900 to 2100 — Pan, zoom, and rotate for a free-roaming perspective — Switch to planet-centric viewing mode * Live Spacecraft Tracking — Voyager 1, 2 | Pioneer 10, 11 — Cassini | Juno | New Horizons | Parker Solar Probe — Real position data from NASA JPL Horizons API * Deep Sky Exploration — Over 150 bright stars — 530 Milky Way stars — 124 deep-sky objects (Messier, NGC/IC catalogs) * Comprehensive Astronomy Education — 6 difficulty levels from middle school to graduate — Core concepts: Kepler's Laws, gravity, escape velocity, and more — Mission timelines for Voyager, Cassini, New Horizons, and others — 60+ quiz questions to test your knowledge — Historical space event date-guessing challenges * Free for Everyone — All content available at no cost — No ads — 11 languages supported Experience the beauty of the cosmos and the wonder of science through scientifically accurate data and intuitive interaction.

Screenshots

SolarSystem4 screens
Heliosphere4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SolarSystem at none against Heliosphere's 3. SolarSystem also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). Heliosphere's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, rating, 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. Heliosphere sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. SolarSystem asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.0 for SolarSystem against 3.0 for Heliosphere. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SolarSystem ships an update monthly, Heliosphere every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SolarSystem versus Heliosphere: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolarSystemHeliosphere
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings)3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro
Requires iOS9.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size89 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHologram Co.,Ltd.CHUNGKIL KIM

Customer experience

SolarSystem

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Heliosphere

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

SolarSystem

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Heliosphere

One-time3
  • 1 Coffee$2.99
  • 3 Coffees$8.99
  • 5 Coffees$14.99

Questions

Is SolarSystem free?
SolarSystem is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Heliosphere free?
Heliosphere is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SolarSystem or Heliosphere?
SolarSystem and Heliosphere are both rated 3.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do SolarSystem or Heliosphere have ads?
Neither SolarSystem nor Heliosphere shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SolarSystem or Heliosphere?
SolarSystem ships an update monthly, and Heliosphere every 3 days. Most recently, SolarSystem was updated on October 24, 2026 and Heliosphere on October 24, 2026.

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