Exoplanet vs Cosmology
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Exoplanet
Explore a vast, interactive database of discovered exoplanets and their host stars. Visualize their physical properties, locations in the night sky, and orbital paths. Discover the observable universe from Earth to the cosmic microwave background with stunning 3D models and augmented reality features.
- Interactive visualizations and animations
- Daily updated exoplanet and host star properties
- 3D Milky Way model with exoplanet locations
- Augmented reality sky map
- Exoplanet orbit and habitable zone visualizations
- Data from multiple exoplanet catalogs
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Exoplanets are planets orbiting stars beyond our own solar system. This app allows you to explore all discovered exoplanets, their measured physical properties, their location in the night sky, and their host stars. An interactive model shows you the entire observable universe, all the way from the surface of the Earth to the cosmic microwave background. This app has been developed by a professional astronomer. Main features: * Interactive visualizations and animations. * Physical properties of all detected exoplanets and their host stars, updated on a daily basis. * Stunning 3D model of our Milky Way showing the location of all known exoplanets. You can zoom into any planetary system, explore how the night sky and the constellations look from the surface of other planets, or zoom out and see other local galaxies and galaxy clusters as well as the cosmic microwave background. * Visualizations of exoplanet orbits and the habitable zone. * Choose between the Open Exoplanet Catalogue, the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and the Extrasolar Planet Encyclopedia (exoplanet.eu). * Push notifications are sent out whenever a new planet is discovered. * Augmented reality sky map: point the phone towards the sky to find an exoplanet! * Interactive multi-touch correlation plots. * Solar System planets, major moons, and asteroids are included. * Explore S-Stars orbiting the black hole at the Galactic Center of our Milky Way * Background information about exoplanets and detection methods. * Full support of planets in binary, triple, quadruple systems and orphan planets. * Real-time ray tracing on the GPU.
Cosmology
Explore the universe with stunning high-resolution images of celestial bodies. Journey through space, visiting planets and their moons, while learning about the evolution of space, time, and matter. Ponder the profound mysteries of existence.
- High-resolution images of planets, nebulae, and galaxies
- Interactive space travel to planets and moons
- Learn about the evolution of space, time, and matter
- Expert narration by Dr. Aaron Day
- Exploration of existential mysteries of the universe
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Explore the universe with 100s of high resolution images of planets, nebulae, galaxies, and more. Travel through space, visiting every planet and their major moons. Learn about the creation of space, time, and matter, and their evolution into stars, galaxies, and planets in the present day. Ponder the deep, existential mysteries of the universe. The story of creation is told by Dr. Aaron Day. Dr. Day earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, San Diego for research in cosmology.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cosmology at none against Exoplanet's 7. Cosmology also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Exoplanet's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). 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. Exoplanet sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Cosmology asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Exoplanet against 4.7 for Cosmology. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 956 and 505 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Exoplanet's written reviews are positive against 89% of Cosmology's.
Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, Cosmology monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Exoplanet | Cosmology |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (956 ratings) | 4.7 (505 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews — better | 88.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 956 — better | 505 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 105 MB | 190 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hanno Rein | Aaron Day |
Customer experience
Exoplanet
Cosmology
User reviews
Exoplanet
From 956 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app
- 👍 Insanely entertaining
- 👍 Amazing graphics and interactive diorama
- 👍 Detailed explanation of planets
- 👍 Awesome app for astronomy and physics lovers
Room to improve
- 🐛 Some exoplanets not showing up in search
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior when switching between databases
- 🔒 Paid upgrades required to access more features
- 🐛 Upgrade purchase issues with Galaxy Clusters and CMB add-on
- 🐛 Exoplanets represented as generic white balls
Cosmology
From 505 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Stunning, beautiful astrophotography images
- 📚 Educational content about space and universe
- 👍 Easy to use and understand interface
- 🎥 Informative videos and interactive features
- 🗺️ Interactive map for exploring cosmic scales
Room to improve
- 🐛 Image interference/technical glitches
- 📖 Shallow explanations for non-experts
- ⚠️ Limited educational depth compared to NASA app
- 🤔 Big Bang theory focus may conflict with religious beliefs
- ❌ Incomplete sections (Milky Way, Island Universe)
Bugs and requests
Exoplanet
Reported bugs
2 issues- Upgrade purchase issues with Galaxy Clusters and CMB add-on
- Kepler objects of interest disappearing when switching databases
Requested features
9 requests- Add more detailed textures and visuals for exoplanets
- Ability to view multiple databases simultaneously
- Option to see planet surfaces and atmospheres
- Inclusion of dwarf planets in our solar system
- Ability to zoom in on and explore other galaxies
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- Addition of black holes, pulsars, and other celestial objects
- Inclusion of satellite and spacecraft orbits
- Narration or audio commentary for key discoveries
- Ability to view the universe from the surface of planets
Cosmology
Reported bugs
2 issues- Image display interference/hacking concerns
- App feels incomplete in certain sections
Requested features
6 requests- More interactive activities and engagement features
- Text-to-speech functionality
- More detailed explanations for beginner-level users
- Additional sub-categories and content sections
- Regular updates with current astronomical images
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- Alternative cosmological perspectives or viewpoints
In-app purchases
Exoplanet
- Galaxy Clusters and CMB$0.99
- Asteroids$0.99
- Gaia Stars$0.99
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- S-Stars$0.99
- Catalogues$0.99
- Developer Appreciation Coffee$1.99
- Kepler Add-on$2.99
Cosmology
No in-app purchases
