# Exoplanet vs Cosmology

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exoplanet | Cosmology |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (956 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034/reviews) | [4.7 (505 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmology/id1028872453/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **956** | 505 |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 88.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanno Rein](https://appshunter.io/developer/325840976) | [Aaron Day](https://appshunter.io/developer/1028872452) |

## What reviewers say

### Exoplanet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Galaxy Clusters and CMB | $0.99 | one-time |
| Asteroids | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gaia Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| S-Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| Catalogues | $0.99 | one-time |
| Developer Appreciation Coffee | $1.99 | one-time |
| Kepler Add-on | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app
- 👍 Insanely entertaining
- 👍 Amazing graphics and interactive diorama
- 👍 Detailed explanation of planets
- 👍 Awesome app for astronomy and physics lovers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- Upgrade purchase issues with Galaxy Clusters and CMB add-on
- Kepler objects of interest disappearing when switching databases

**Requested features**

- 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


### Cosmology

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmology/id1028872453)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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)

**Reported bugs**

- Image display interference/hacking concerns
- App feels incomplete in certain sections

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exoplanet free?

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

### Is Cosmology free?

Cosmology is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Exoplanet or Cosmology?

Exoplanet and Cosmology are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 956 and 505 ratings respectively.

### Do Exoplanet or Cosmology have ads?

Neither Exoplanet nor Cosmology shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Exoplanet or Cosmology?

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cosmology monthly. Most recently, Exoplanet was updated on October 17, 2026 and Cosmology 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.*