Comparison

Solar System AR 4D vs DIY Solar System

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

Head to head
About

Solar System AR 4D

Features
Read full description

Solar System AR 4D – Explore Space in Augmented Reality Learn about the planets in Arabic, English, and French. No cards required. Embark on an extraordinary journey through the solar system. With AR technology, 3D models of planets appear in your environment, making space exploration fun, interactive, and educational. Key Features: - Augmented Reality Space Exploration: Point your camera at any flat surface (floor, wall, desk) and watch planets appear in stunning 3D. - Interactive 3D Models: Rotate, resize, and zoom in on each planet with simple touch gestures. - Photo Capture: Take pictures with the planets and share your cosmic journey with family and friends. - Audio Pronunciation: Hear the names of planets spoken aloud in your chosen language. - Multilingual Learning: Supports Arabic, English, and French for a truly global learning experience. Why Students, Parents, and Teachers Love It: - Makes learning about space exciting and easy to understand - Builds astronomy knowledge in three major languages - Turns complex science into a fun, hands-on experience - Works without cards or additional tools Perfect for schools, homeschooling, and young explorers. Traveling through space has never been this easy or this exciting – bring the solar system to life with AR.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Solar System AR 4D4 screens
DIY Solar System4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DIY Solar System at none against Solar System AR 4D's 3. DIY Solar System also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 46 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. Solar System AR 4D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DIY Solar System asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solar System AR 4D ships an update every 46 months, DIY Solar System every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Solar System AR 4D versus DIY Solar System: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar System AR 4DDIY Solar System
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 46 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size122 MB180 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperIbrahim AmerThe Lawrence Hall of Science

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Solar System AR 4D

One-time1
  • Unlock3 variants$5.99
None

DIY Solar System

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Solar System AR 4D free?
Solar System AR 4D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DIY Solar System free?
DIY Solar System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Solar System AR 4D or DIY Solar System have ads?
Neither Solar System AR 4D nor DIY Solar System shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Solar System AR 4D or DIY Solar System?
Solar System AR 4D ships an update every 46 months, and DIY Solar System every 2 months. Most recently, Solar System AR 4D was updated on October 7, 2026 and DIY Solar System on October 13, 2026.

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