# Exoplanet vs Galaxy Map

The clearest difference is ads: Exoplanet at none against Galaxy Map's shown. Exoplanet also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (91% vs 80%). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Exoplanet sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Galaxy Map sells 13 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 — 4.7 for Exoplanet against 4.6 for Galaxy Map. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 956 and 600 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Exoplanet's written reviews are positive against 80% of Galaxy Map's.

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, Galaxy Map every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exoplanet | Galaxy Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (956 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034/reviews)** | [4.6 (600 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **956** | 600 |
| Positive reviews | **91.0% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 105 MB | 613 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanno Rein](https://appshunter.io/developer/325840976) | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) |

## 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


### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

Explore the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in an interactive 3D map. Discover nebulae, supernovae, and planets, with stunning visuals based on NASA data. Ideal for education and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D galaxy map, Explore nebulae and supernovae, Fly through planetary atmospheres, Land on planets, Based on NASA data, Available in 100+ languages

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Explore button shows nothing
- Pinch-to-zoom doesn't work
- App won't load on iPad
- Text displays as boxes in language settings

**Requested features**

- Search button to find galaxies and objects
- More diverse and realistic black hole designs
- AR feature to identify stars/planets in real sky
- More free content and objects
- Exoplanet additions (TRAPPIST-1e, J1407B)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exoplanet free?

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

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Exoplanet or Galaxy Map?

Exoplanet is rated higher. Exoplanet averages 4.7 out of 5 from 956 ratings, while Galaxy Map averages 4.6 from 600 ratings.

### Do Exoplanet or Galaxy Map have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Exoplanet does not.

### Which is updated more often, Exoplanet or Galaxy Map?

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, and Galaxy Map every 5 weeks. Most recently, Exoplanet was updated on September 21, 2026 and Galaxy Map on September 20, 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.*