# Pocket Planets vs DIY Solar System

The clearest difference is ads: DIY Solar System at none against Pocket Planets's shown. DIY Solar System also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Pocket Planets's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases 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 — 4.6 for Pocket Planets against 4.5 for DIY Solar System. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 16 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Pocket Planets's written reviews are positive against 100% of DIY Solar System's.

Pocket Planets ships an update every 3 weeks, DIY Solar System every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Planets | DIY Solar System |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-planets/id1496547610/reviews)** | [4.5 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-solar-system/id1644242890/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 66 MB | 180 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ad Lunam Kereskedelmi es Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496547609) | [The Lawrence Hall of Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/462994550) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Planets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-planets/id1496547610)

Explore our solar system with detailed information on planets, moons, and astronauts. Track who is currently in space and receive notifications for new launches. Access NASA images and compare celestial body characteristics.

**Highlights:** Detailed planet and moon data, Astronaut information and missions, Real-time space occupancy, Launch notifications, NASA image gallery, Celestial body comparisons

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### DIY Solar System

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-solar-system/id1644242890)

Explore the solar system with interactive activities and an augmented reality planet walk. Learn about space travel, design a moon base, and identify celestial objects. Developed by leading science institutions, this app makes learning about space engaging for families and educators.

**Highlights:** Interactive space activities, Augmented reality planet walk, Design a moon base, Grow a space garden, Control a Mars rover, In or Out space game, NASA imagery

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Planets free?

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

### Is DIY Solar System free?

DIY Solar System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Planets or DIY Solar System?

Pocket Planets is rated higher. Pocket Planets averages 4.6 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while DIY Solar System averages 4.5 from 16 ratings.

### Do Pocket Planets or DIY Solar System have ads?

Pocket Planets shows ads; DIY Solar System does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Planets or DIY Solar System?

Pocket Planets ships an update every 3 weeks, and DIY Solar System every 2 months. Most recently, Pocket Planets was updated on September 8, 2026 and DIY Solar System on June 3, 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.*