Planet Orbiter VR vs DIY Solar System
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Planet Orbiter VR
Explore breathtaking views of Earth, Mars, and the Moon from low orbit. Fly around celestial bodies and discover famous landmarks or distant corners. Enjoy an immersive experience with or without VR glasses.
- Low orbit exploration
- Views of Earth, Mars, and Moon
- VR headset support
- Non-VR mode available
- Detailed planet surface data
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So far away and yet so close. The breathtaking view on Earth, Mars and Moon, the lower orbit. Fly around the planet, visit the most distant corners or the most famous ones. Let your curiosity take over and enjoy views on Earth, Mars and Moon based on extensive planet surface data. It is about you in the lower orbit. With VR glasses and without You will get the most thrilling experience from Planet Orbiter VR with VR glasses. Don't have VR glasses around right now? There is still a great visit of lower orbit ahead of you. Note Planet Orbiter VR is still in development, we are looking forward to bringing you more new lower orbit experience.
DIY Solar System
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.
- 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
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DIY Solar System makes it easy for families and educators to explore the solar system from anywhere, anytime! The app was developed by the Children’s Creativity Museum, Sciencenter, and Museum of Life and Science, in partnership with UC Berkeley’s The Lawrence Hall of Science. INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES DIY Solar System includes 11 easy-to-use activities to learn about space travel, living in space, and the unique objects that make up the planetary system we call home. Design a Moon base, grow your own space garden, or experience what it’s like to control a rover on Mars! Each activity includes step-by-step instructions that have been tested by educators, kids, and families. Activity materials are easily available and inexpensive—you may already have many of them in your home! AUGMENTED REALITY PLANET WALK Don’t have the time to travel several billion miles to reach Neptune? Try dropping a scale version of the solar system outside your home to start a walk that will show you planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids. At each stop, examine the space object up close using real images from NASA. Don’t forget to take a space selfie with your favorite planet! IN OR OUT GAME Quickly scan awe-inspiring images of space objects from NASA’s Earth and space observatories to decide if the objects are in or out of the solar system. While the solar system is vast, it only represents a tiny corner of the universe. After you have mastered your solar system knowledge, challenge yourself to a new round of objects in or out of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Funding Source This work was supported by NASA under award number 80NSSC21M0082. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these programs are those of the author and do not reflect the views of NASA. Compatibility Requires iOS 12.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone and iPad. Rated 4+.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DIY Solar System at none against Planet Orbiter VR's 1. DIY Solar System also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Planet Orbiter VR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DIY Solar System asks for nothing beyond the download.
DIY Solar System holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 17 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Planet Orbiter VR ships an update every 5 months, DIY Solar System every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Planet Orbiter VR | DIY Solar System |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (6 ratings) | 4.5 (17 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 17 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 109 MB | 180 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | INOVE, s.r.o. | The Lawrence Hall of Science |
Customer experience
Planet Orbiter VR
DIY Solar System
In-app purchases
Planet Orbiter VR
- Additional lower orbit views$5.99
DIY Solar System
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Planet Orbiter VR free?
Is DIY Solar System free?
Which has better reviews, Planet Orbiter VR or DIY Solar System?
Do Planet Orbiter VR or DIY Solar System have ads?
Which is updated more often, Planet Orbiter VR or DIY Solar System?
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