# HoppAR vs Sandbox Planet

The clearest difference is price: HoppAR at Free against Sandbox Planet's $14.99. HoppAR also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (85% vs 53%). On ratings volume, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

HoppAR is free to download; Sandbox Planet costs $14.99 up front. HoppAR sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year and Sandbox Planet sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HoppAR holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 579 and 300 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of HoppAR's written reviews are positive against 53% of Sandbox Planet's.

HoppAR ships an update every 2 months, Sandbox Planet every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HoppAR | Sandbox Planet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $14.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (579 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoppar/id1497739070/reviews)** | [4.5 (300 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-planet/id1527841661/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **579** | 300 |
| Positive reviews | **85.4% of reviews** | 52.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 372 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Josef Grunig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497739069) | [Oscar Tsang](https://appshunter.io/developer/416987065) |

## What reviewers say

### HoppAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoppar/id1497739070)

Experience rocket launches and landings in augmented reality. Control thrust vectoring, perform engine test fires, and customize rockets with your own colors. Explore a variety of real spacecraft and space mission scenarios.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality rocket launches, Manual thrust vectoring control, Rocket engine test fires, Customizable rocket coloring, Variety of real spacecraft models, Entry, Descent, and Landing simulations, Indoor and Outdoor AR modes

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HoppAR Supporter | $7.99 | per year |
| FALCON HEAVY | $0.99 | one-time |
| STARSHIP Belly Flop | $0.99 | one-time |
| SUPER HEAVY | $0.99 | one-time |
| DELTA IV HEAVY | $0.99 | one-time |
| PERSEVERANCE | $0.99 | one-time |
| DRONESHIP OCISLY | $0.99 | one-time |
| NEW SHEPARD | $0.99 | one-time |
| ARIANE 5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| ARTEMIS I | $0.99 | one-time |
| SOYUZ | $0.99 | one-time |
| ELECTRON | $0.99 | one-time |
| SATURN V | $1.99 | one-time |
| Control Feature | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent AR simulation and gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 High-quality rocket models and realistic designs
- 🎵 Great music and audio (with some caveats)
- 📱 Well-made and polished app overall
- 🌟 Immersive and satisfying launch experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Premium rockets locked behind paywall
- 🐛 AR functionality issues on some devices
- 📱 Orientation requirement (vertical/horizontal) frustrating
- ⏱️ Limited gameplay - rockets auto-launch and auto-land
- 🎬 Short 5-second clips lack player control

**Reported bugs**

- Black screen on horizontal surface scanning
- Camera not working on certain devices
- App won't open or crashes on startup
- Gray screen display issue
- iPad AR compatibility problems

**Requested features**

- Space Shuttle addition
- Manual control for Falcon 9 and Dragon
- Free access to premium rockets
- Launch towers for all rockets
- Soyuz rocket


### Sandbox Planet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-planet/id1527841661)

Create and customize your own solar systems and planets. Emulate the development of the universe with highly detailed simulation tools. Build any celestial body you can imagine.

**Highlights:** Solar system simulation, Planet building, Universe emulation, Customizable creation, Celestial body design

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5000 GP | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ad | $2.99 | one-time |
| 25000 GP | $5.99 | one-time |
| 50000 GP | $9.99 | one-time |
| 120000 GP | $19.99 | one-time |
| 200000 GP | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very fun and enjoyable game
- ✨ Beautiful graphics
- 🌌 Great sandbox experience
- 🎮 Compatible with iOS 18
- 🌠 Ability to design planets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive in-app purchases
- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 📉 Slow progression without spending
- 😩 Ads are frequent and intrusive
- ⏳ Takes too long to create planets

**Reported bugs**

- Advertisements have non-functional close buttons
- App crashes frequently
- Video ads for currency don't load
- Bug with GP conversion where it decreases
- Daytime interface is too bright

**Requested features**

- Random planets and stars should spawn
- Add currency earning methods
- Allow naming of planets
- Add more content
- Make the game harder


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HoppAR free?

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

### Is Sandbox Planet free?

Sandbox Planet costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HoppAR or Sandbox Planet?

HoppAR is rated higher. HoppAR averages 4.8 out of 5 from 579 ratings, while Sandbox Planet averages 4.5 from 300 ratings.

### Do HoppAR or Sandbox Planet have ads?

Sandbox Planet shows ads; HoppAR does not.

### Which is updated more often, HoppAR or Sandbox Planet?

HoppAR ships an update every 2 months, and Sandbox Planet every 3 months. Most recently, HoppAR was updated on September 21, 2026 and Sandbox Planet on September 21, 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.*