Comparison

Solar Express vs Stars and Planets Simulator

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

Head to head
About

Solar Express

Embark on a realistic yet casual spaceflight simulation. Explore the solar system, dock with stations, and perform powered landings on celestial bodies. Deliver supplies across planets and moons with intuitive controls.

Highlights
  • Realistic orbital mechanics
  • Solar system exploration
  • Space station docking
  • Powered landings
  • Supply delivery missions
  • Heads-up display navigation
Features
Read full description

Solar Express is a realistic, yet casual spaceflight simulation game. Start flying your rocket immediately (no building required), with enough delta-V to visit every planet in the solar system. Navigate using a heads-up display optimized for phones. Dock with space stations using your maneuvering thrusters. Do powered landings on the surface of moons and planets. Deliver supplies between planets and space stations around the solar system. Real orbital mechanics, real 3D simulation, real programmer art, real nerdy. :)

About

Stars and Planets Simulator

Design and explore your own universe, from crafting stars and planets to piloting a customizable spaceship. Walk the surfaces of your creations and dive into the atmospheres of gas giants.

Highlights
  • Create custom stars and celestial bodies
  • Design terrestrial and gas giant planets
  • Pilot customizable spaceships
  • Explore created planets
  • Walk on planet surfaces
  • Explore gas giant atmospheres
Features
Read full description

Shape the cosmos in Stars and Planets Simulator, a next-generation space simulator sandbox where creation meets exploration. Forge your own star systems from scratch: design radiant stars, swirling magnetars, enigmatic pulsars, and colossal black holes. Craft both terrestrial worlds and massive gas giants, sculpting their atmospheres, terrains, liquid oceans, or molten cores. Seamlessly switch from creator to explorer by piloting your fully customizable spaceship across the universe you designed. Land on your planets, step out with your personalized character, and walk the surfaces you imagined — from rocky wastelands to lush alien landscapes. Gas giants aren’t just clouds; dive deep into their immense atmospheres, maneuvering through stormy skies and dense, liquid metallic oceans, until you reach the solid heart hidden beneath. Every planet, every star, every swirling cosmic phenomenon you encounter is born from your imagination — and ready for you to experience firsthand. The universe is yours to build, shape, and discover.

Screenshots

Solar Express4 screens
Stars and Planets Simulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

Solar Express and Stars and Planets Simulator both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Stars and Planets Simulator's written reviews are positive against 0% of Solar Express's. Solar Express's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Stars and Planets Simulator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Solar Express asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Stars and Planets Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Solar Express's written reviews are positive against 94% of Stars and Planets Simulator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solar Express ships an update weekly, Stars and Planets Simulator every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Solar Express versus Stars and Planets Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar ExpressStars and Planets Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (9 ratings)4.4 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews93.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings916 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS10.2 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB672 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGilman TolleAndrei Nistorescu

Customer experience

Solar Express

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Stars and Planets Simulator

All ratings15 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.3%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive93.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Solar Express

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Stars and Planets Simulator

One-time1
  • Remove ads$1.99

Questions

Is Solar Express free?
Solar Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stars and Planets Simulator free?
Stars and Planets Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Solar Express or Stars and Planets Simulator?
Stars and Planets Simulator is rated higher. Solar Express averages 4.2 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Stars and Planets Simulator averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.
Do Solar Express or Stars and Planets Simulator have ads?
Stars and Planets Simulator shows ads; Solar Express does not.
Which is updated more often, Solar Express or Stars and Planets Simulator?
Solar Express ships an update weekly, and Stars and Planets Simulator every 10 days. Most recently, Solar Express was updated on November 3, 2026 and Stars and Planets Simulator on November 5, 2026.

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