# Sandbox vs Solar System Sim

Sandbox and Solar System Sim both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Solar System Sim's written reviews are positive against 47% of Sandbox's. Solar System Sim also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sandbox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Solar System Sim sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Sandbox against 4.5 for Solar System Sim. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8.8K and 4.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 47% of Sandbox's written reviews are positive against 80% of Solar System Sim's.

Sandbox ships an update monthly, Solar System Sim every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sandbox | Solar System Sim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (8.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441/reviews) | **[4.5 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-sim/id6447612221/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8.8K** | 4.3K |
| Positive reviews | 47.2% of reviews | **80.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 204 MB | 532 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tran Dinh Hung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475879763) | [WPC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681830786) |

## What reviewers say

### Sandbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441)

Explore a creative sandbox world where you can mix elements to discover their reactions and create dynamic environments. Experiment with physics, build structures, and witness exciting events like explosions and growth. New modes allow for planet destruction and life cycle simulation.

**Highlights:** Element mixing and reaction discovery, World building with plants and weather, Physics experiments (fire, explosions), Planet destruction mode, Life cycle simulation mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Unique and creative concept
- 🔬 Interesting physics and chemistry experiments
- 🕹️ Fun and addictive gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🤖 Lack of customization and control options
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain elements

**Reported bugs**

- Certain elements not functioning as expected
- Saved files becoming corrupted
- Inconsistent performance and stability issues

**Requested features**

- Add more elements and materials to experiment with
- Implement a pause/speed up time feature
- Introduce a sandbox mode without any ads
- Allow users to save and load custom creations


### Solar System Sim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-sim/id6447612221)

Simulate and explore celestial bodies within our solar system and beyond. Create your own solar systems, experiment with gravity and physics, and observe orbital mechanics in action.

**Highlights:** Explore planets and moons, Visit nearby stars, Create custom solar systems, Gravity and physics simulation, Recalculate orbits, Newton's laws implementation

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HD Mars | $2.99 | one-time |
| HD Earth | $2.99 | one-time |
| HD Moon | $2.99 | one-time |
| No-ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| HD 3-body pack | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic simulation
- 🚀 Detailed solar system
- 🚀 Ability to create custom solar systems
- 🚀 Impressive graphics
- 🚀 Frequent updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Saving and loading issues
- 🐛 Unstable orbits

**Reported bugs**

- Planets/moons disappearing after saving and loading
- Bright flashes and screen distortions
- Planets/objects getting stuck inside stars
- Crashes when colliding or editing certain objects
- Inconsistent orbital mechanics and moons ejecting from planets

**Requested features**

- Add more galaxy and nebula textures
- Implement realistic supernova effects
- Allow customization of planet atmospheres and terrain
- Add binary star systems and rogue planets
- Introduce a galaxy maker and collision feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sandbox free?

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

### Is Solar System Sim free?

Solar System Sim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sandbox or Solar System Sim?

Solar System Sim is rated higher. Sandbox averages 4.4 out of 5 from 8.8K ratings, while Solar System Sim averages 4.5 from 4.3K ratings.

### Do Sandbox or Solar System Sim have ads?

Both Sandbox and Solar System Sim show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sandbox or Solar System Sim?

Sandbox ships an update monthly, and Solar System Sim every 4 days. Most recently, Sandbox was updated on October 14, 2026 and Solar System Sim on October 15, 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.*