Comparison

Pocket Universe vs Mass.Shift

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

Head to head
About

Pocket Universe

Explore the night sky with this intuitive guide. Identify planets, constellations, and satellites by simply pointing your device. Discover celestial events, track celestial bodies, and learn about thousands of astronomical objects.

Highlights
  • Live sky view with object identification
  • Time travel for celestial event prediction
  • Explore mode for upcoming events and solar activity
  • Search and browse celestial objects
  • Detailed information on thousands of objects
  • Home Screen widgets for Sun/Moon times and Moon phase
  • Customizable viewing modes with night vision
Features
Read full description

There's never been a better time to get into Astronomy! Start off easy with an app that will guide you around the night sky. "The app works beautifully, making astronomy a bit less mysterious—but no less remarkable", MacWorld "It’s truly an impressive marvel. 5 Mice out of 5", MacWorld. "..one of the prettiest and easiest to use. And at three bucks, it’s a steal", Cult of Mac. Apple App Store Staff Favorite Voted Best Educational iPhone Application by AppAdvice --- Pocket Universe 2 turns your iPhone or iPad into an intuitive guide to the night sky. Just point your device upward to instantly identify what’s overhead—planets, constellations, comets, satellites, and deep-sky wonders. Designed for clarity and ease of use, Pocket Universe 2 helps you learn the sky naturally, whether you’re stepping outside for a quick look or exploring in detail from your couch. Key features • Live sky view: Aim your device to identify stars, planets, the ISS, satellites, comets, and bright deep-sky objects in real time. • Time travel: Scrub hours or days forward and back, jump to sunrise, sunset, golden hour, moonrise, or moonset - and return to “now” instantly. • Explore mode: Discover what’s worth looking for tonight, with summaries of upcoming events, solar activity, Moon phases and maps, Jupiter and Saturn’s moons and rings, a full Solar System orrery, and dedicated ISS and satellite views. • Find anything fast: Search by name, browse curated “cool things” lists, or jump straight to planets and other Solar System bodies. • Rich object details: Learn about thousands of objects, including planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and more. • Widgets: Add Sun and Moon times and Moon phase to your Home Screen or desktop. • Deep customization: Night vision mode, labels, grids, constellation lines, satellites, comets, and more. Save presets to switch instantly between your favorite viewing modes. Pocket Universe 2 is the sequel to Pocket Universe, one of the first astronomy apps on the App Store. It has been completely rewritten using modern frameworks and tools to deliver a faster, cleaner, and more immersive stargazing experience. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Mass.Shift

Features
Read full description

MassShift allows you to explore the physical reality of living on other planets. This application provides a suite of tools to calculate how your weight, age, and height would change across various celestial bodies in our solar system. Core Features: > Weight and Mass Converter: Discover your exact weight on Mars, Jupiter, the Moon, and other planets based on gravitational differences. > Age and Time Tracking: Calculate your age according to the orbital periods of different planets and see when your next galactic birthday occurs. > Height Comparison: Visualize how your height changes relative to gravitational constants across the galaxy. > Physics Simulations: Interact with jump, fall, and orbit simulators to experience the tangible effects of varying gravity levels. > Planetary Survival Guides: Access detailed scientific facts and survival information for every planet in the solar system. > User Profiles: Save metrics for multiple users to quickly switch between data sets and comparisons. Designed for students, teachers, and space enthusiasts, MassShift turns complex planetary physics into an accessible and interactive experience. Learn about the mechanics of our solar system through precise calculations and visual simulations. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Pocket Universe4 screens
Mass.Shift4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Mass.Shift at 13.0 against Pocket Universe's 18.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Pocket Universe sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Mass.Shift sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Pocket Universe versus Mass.Shift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocket UniverseMass.Shift
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (259 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings259 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn KennedyADAVII (PVT) LTD

Bugs and requests

Pocket Universe

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes on launch
  • Compass issues
  • Inaccurate sky positioning
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

8 requests
  • Ability to set time and date
  • Improved motion tracking and compass calibration
  • Larger text size options
  • More detailed information on stars, galaxies, etc.
  • Comet and asteroid tracking
Show 3 more
  • Satellite tracking
  • Southern hemisphere sky view
  • Wikipedia integration for more objects

Mass.Shift

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pocket Universe

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly subscription$0.991 Month
  • Annual subscription$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pocket Universe Lifetime unlock$19.99
2 purchases

Mass.Shift

Subscriptions1
  • MassShift Monthly$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • MassShift Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Pocket Universe free?
Pocket Universe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mass.Shift free?
Mass.Shift is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pocket Universe or Mass.Shift have ads?
Neither Pocket Universe nor Mass.Shift shows ads.

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