Comparison

HoppAR vs The Foundering

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

Head to head
About

HoppAR

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
Read full description

Launch and land your favorite rockets in Augmented Reality from your courtyard! Perform rocket engine test fires directly on your table. Manually control the Thrust Vectoring and perform your first landing at home! Color your favorite rocket and see it in action in Augmented Reality You can choose between many different rocket prototypes and real spacecrafts. Here are a few of them: the beloved StarHopper, the giant Starship MK1, and the hover test of the Dragon 2. Watch the Crew Dragon Demo Mission 2 leave the launch pad and the Falcon 9 first stage land back! Enjoy the Buran Orbiter and Energia Rocket conquer the sky, and many more spacecrafts to come! Not only rockets: enjoy the Perseverance Landing and the Sky-Crane maneuver in the "Last Minute of Terror" of the Entry Descend and Landing sequence. Fire a Raptor engine on your desk at home! Select between Indoor and Outdoor mode depending on where you are and the scale of the Rocket you want to launch. Apply filters to mimic the colors of your favorite planet and change the environmental conditions choosing among many different options: Rain, Thunderstorm, Snow and more Take a picture or record your best launch, share them with your friends with the #HoppAR hashtag and get into the Rocket Launcher's Social Wall Auto-renewable Subscription: Support app Development and new Rockets Addition (renewed on an annual basis) You get all mission unlocked with no limits for the time the subscription is active Non-Consumable Purchase: Instead of subscribing you might buy a single mission that will be unlocked with no time limit Let's HoppAR! (Disclaimer: This is app is not affiliated with any space company or its partners or customers)

About

The Foundering

Features
Read full description

This augmented reality site-specific artwork, designed by artist John Fillwalk and the IDIA Lab team at Ball State University, allows visitors to use their phones to transform a location by introducing virtual elements that connect to their surrounds. Employing animated 3D objects and sound, the site transports the visitor to an augmented virtual experience within familiar surroundings.

Screenshots

HoppAR4 screens
The Foundering3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Foundering at none against HoppAR's 14. The Foundering also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. HoppAR sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. The Foundering asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HoppAR ships an update every 2 months, The Foundering weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HoppAR versus The Foundering: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHoppARThe Foundering
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (584 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings584 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size372 MB226 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJosef GrunigIDIA Lab

Bugs and requests

HoppAR

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • 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
Show 2 more
  • App performance issues causing crashes
  • Sound/audio problems requiring fixes

Requested features

15 requests
  • Space Shuttle addition
  • Manual control for Falcon 9 and Dragon
  • Free access to premium rockets
  • Launch towers for all rockets
  • Soyuz rocket
Show 10 more
  • Sea Dragon rocket
  • Starship inclusion
  • First-person/cockpit camera view
  • Non-AR mode for gameplay
  • VR mode support
  • Ability to place objects in front of rockets
  • Increased rocket size to fill room
  • Enhanced smoke/rumble effects
  • Original countdown voices per rocket
  • More rocket variety overall

The Foundering

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

14 purchases

HoppAR

Subscriptions1
  • HoppAR Supporter$7.991 Year
One-time13
  • FALCON HEAVY$0.99
  • STARSHIP Belly Flop$0.99
  • SUPER HEAVY$0.99
Show 10 more
  • DELTA IV HEAVY$0.99
  • PERSEVERANCE$0.99
  • DRONESHIP OCISLY$0.99
  • NEW SHEPARD$0.99
  • ARIANE 5$0.99
  • ARTEMIS I$0.99
  • SOYUZ$0.99
  • ELECTRON$0.99
  • SATURN V$1.99
  • Control Feature$2.99
None

The Foundering

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HoppAR free?
HoppAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Foundering free?
The Foundering is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HoppAR or The Foundering have ads?
Neither HoppAR nor The Foundering shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HoppAR or The Foundering?
HoppAR ships an update every 2 months, and The Foundering weekly. Most recently, HoppAR was updated on October 21, 2026 and The Foundering on October 16, 2026.

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