Comparison

Planets AR vs Rocket Simulator

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

Head to head
About

Planets AR

Explore the solar system in augmented reality, bringing planets and their orbits to life. Discover detailed facts and high-definition surface images for each celestial body. Witness the dynamic movement of planets rotating and revolving around the sun.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality solar system visualization
  • Planet orbits and rotation simulation
  • Detailed planet facts
  • High-definition planet surface images
  • Full solar system view
Read full description

Explore the solar system in 3D, or place the planets in your room with augmented reality. Discover what makes each world different through guided activities, comparisons and curated facts. • Explore the Sun, eight planets, Earth's Moon and Pluto • Discover facts about orbits, surfaces, atmospheres and moons • Compare the size and distance of two worlds • Ask questions about a world on supported devices • Enjoy the 3D viewer with or without augmented reality Start exploring for free. Unlock all worlds and features with a one-time purchase. No subscription. Fact and comparison sources: Sun: https://science.nasa.gov/sun/facts/ Mercury: https://science.nasa.gov/mercury/facts/ Venus: https://science.nasa.gov/venus/venus-facts/ Earth: https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/ Moon: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/facts/ Mars: https://science.nasa.gov/mars/facts/ Jupiter: https://science.nasa.gov/jupiter/jupiter-facts/ Saturn: https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/facts/ Uranus: https://science.nasa.gov/uranus/facts/ Neptune: https://science.nasa.gov/neptune/neptune-facts/ Pluto: https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/pluto/facts/ Planet measurements: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/ Enceladus: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/cassini/science/enceladus/ Challenger Deep: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/habitat-conservation/marianas-trench-marine-national-monument

About

Rocket Simulator

Build and launch your own rockets in augmented reality. Assemble various rocket models, learn about their history and functions, and customize them with AI-generated stickers. Experience space exploration with different missions and modes.

Highlights
  • AR rocket assembly
  • Rocket model customization
  • Historical rocket information
  • AI sticker generation
  • Flight simulation
  • Educational facts about rockets
Features
Read full description

3… 2… 1… Liftoff! Are you ready to launch your very first space rocket? Assemble rockets in AR and launch it into outer space! VARIOUS ROCKET MODELS Just choose your favourite rocket model and let’s begin. ASSEMBLY PUZZLE Assemble all rocket parts in the right order and discover historical info about its creation and missions. Customize rockets with AI stickers. INTERESTING FACTS Read about every rocket in detail and learn the functions of each rocket part. Rocket models from all over the world are waiting for you! KEEP IN MIND: Some features are only available for Subscription holders. Paid version includes all rocket models, all missions, free mode, sharing, unlimited access to AR mode, unlimited sticker generation. Free version includes 2 rockets, 2 missions, 2 AR mode launches, 3 sticker generations. https://educationterra.com/privacy https://educationterra.com/tos

Screenshots

Planets AR4 screens
Rocket Simulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Planets AR at 86% against Rocket Simulator's 10%. Planets AR also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). Rocket Simulator's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 40 months) and ratings volume (422 vs 78). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. Planets AR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Rocket Simulator sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Planets AR holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rocket Simulator has 422 ratings behind it against 78, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Planets AR's written reviews are positive against 10% of Rocket Simulator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Planets AR ships an update every 40 months, Rocket Simulator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Planets AR versus Rocket Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlanets ARRocket Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (78 ratings) — better3.8 (422 ratings)
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews — better10.2% of reviews
Number of ratings78422 — better
Update frequencyEvery 40 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB280 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDarren TraceyEducation Terra

Customer experience

Planets AR

All ratings78 ratings
Positive85.9%
Neutral3.8%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

Rocket Simulator

All ratings422 ratings
Positive67.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative27.5%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive10.2%
Neutral3.4%
Negative86.4%

Bugs and requests

Planets AR

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Rocket Simulator

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Parts don't connect
  • No command center on launch
  • Rocket goes to sky and mission complete
  • Animations not shown correctly
  • Slow rollout animation
Show 2 more
  • Minimal launch animation
  • Typos in subtitles

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add command center
  • Add space exploration
  • Add more to the game
  • Add staging and space rocket control
  • Add other planets to land on
Show 1 more
  • Make it free

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Planets AR

One-time1
  • Unlock all features$4.99
6 purchases

Rocket Simulator

Subscriptions6
  • Rocket Ship - 1 Week$6.997 Days
  • 1 Week Subscription$9.997 Days
  • Rocket Simulator: Spaceflight$19.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Rocket Ship Building & Launch3 Days trial$20.991 Year
  • 3 Months Subscription3 Days trial$20.993 Months
  • 2 Months Subscription3 Days trial$39.992 Months

Questions

Is Planets AR free?
Planets AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rocket Simulator free?
Rocket Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Planets AR or Rocket Simulator?
Planets AR is rated higher. Planets AR averages 4.5 out of 5 from 78 ratings, while Rocket Simulator averages 3.8 from 422 ratings.
Do Planets AR or Rocket Simulator have ads?
Rocket Simulator shows ads; Planets AR does not.
Which is updated more often, Planets AR or Rocket Simulator?
Planets AR ships an update every 40 months, and Rocket Simulator every 2 months. Most recently, Planets AR was updated on October 1, 2026 and Rocket Simulator on October 12, 2026.

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