Comparison

Exoplanet vs Exoplanet Explorer

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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.

About

Exoplanet Explorer

Explore a vast catalog of over 6,000 confirmed exoplanets with detailed scientific data. Compare worlds, visualize habitable zones, and track new discoveries. Ideal for stargazers, students, educators, and researchers.

Highlights
  • 6,000+ confirmed exoplanets
  • Detailed scientific data
  • Advanced filtering and sorting
  • Planet comparison tool
  • Habitable zone analysis
  • Home screen widgets
  • Apple Watch companion app
Features
Read full description

Explore the universe of exoplanets — over 6,000 confirmed worlds orbiting distant stars, updated from leading scientific archives. Track new discoveries as they happen and dive into the data behind every planet. EXPLORE THE COSMOS Search, filter, and sort the complete catalogue of confirmed exoplanets. Find planets by discovery method, star type, orbital characteristics, or habitability potential. Every entry includes detailed scientific data from peer-reviewed sources. ATMOSPHERIC SPECTRA Browse JWST and Hubble transmission spectra for planets where atmospheric data is available. Toggle molecular overlays for CO2, CH4, H2O, CO and more to see which absorption features have been detected. 3D SYSTEM VIEW Step into a planetary system in 3D — see each planet's orbit around its host star with realistic shading and a visualisation of the habitable zone. On iPhone and iPad you can also place a system into your environment in AR. COMPARE WORLDS Analyze exoplanets side-by-side — or compare them with Solar System planets like Earth, Jupiter, and Mars. Compare sizes, masses, orbital periods, star properties, and habitability scores to understand what makes each world unique. HABITABLE ZONE VISUALIZATION See exactly where planets orbit within their star's habitable zone — the region where liquid water could exist. Identify potentially Earth-like worlds and understand the conditions for life beyond our solar system. FEATURES • 6,000+ confirmed exoplanets with detailed scientific data • Atmospheric spectra with molecular overlays • 3D system view with AR mode • Advanced filtering and sorting • Planet comparison tool with Solar System reference • Habitable zone analysis • Spotlight search with deep linking • Home screen widgets • Apple Watch companion app • Bookmark favorites with iCloud sync • Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro GO PREMIUM Enjoying the app? Premium takes it further — unlimited bookmarks, the full planet comparison tool, and additional widgets. A small yearly upgrade that makes a big difference. Whether you're a curious stargazer, student, educator, or researcher, Exoplanet Explorer puts the cosmos in your pocket. Terms of Use (EULA): https://the-exoplanets.space/eula/ Privacy Policy: https://the-exoplanets.space/privacy/

Screenshots

Exoplanet4 screens
Exoplanet Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Exoplanet at 956 against Exoplanet Explorer's 70. Exoplanet also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). Exoplanet Explorer's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 91%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Exoplanet sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Exoplanet Explorer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Exoplanet against 4.6 for Exoplanet Explorer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exoplanet has 956 ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Exoplanet's written reviews are positive against 100% of Exoplanet Explorer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Exoplanet versus Exoplanet Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterExoplanetExoplanet Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (956 ratings) — better4.6 (70 ratings)
Positive reviews91.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings956 — better70
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TViPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size105 MB169 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHanno ReinCarsten Knoblich

Customer experience

Exoplanet

All ratings956 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.0%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews476 reviews
Positive91.0%
Neutral3.2%
Negative5.9%

Exoplanet Explorer

All ratings70 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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
Show 4 more
  • 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

Exoplanet Explorer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Exoplanet

One-time7
  • Galaxy Clusters and CMB$0.99
  • Asteroids$0.99
  • Gaia Stars$0.99
Show 4 more
  • S-Stars$0.99
  • Catalogues$0.99
  • Developer Appreciation Coffee$1.99
  • Kepler Add-on$2.99
4 purchases

Exoplanet Explorer

Subscriptions2
  • 3 months subscription7 Days trial$2.993 Months
  • 12 months subscription7 Days trial$6.991 Year
One-time2
  • Big supporting tip$2.99
  • Really big supporting tip$4.99

Questions

Is Exoplanet free?
Exoplanet is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Exoplanet Explorer free?
Exoplanet Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Exoplanet or Exoplanet Explorer?
Exoplanet is rated higher. Exoplanet averages 4.7 out of 5 from 956 ratings, while Exoplanet Explorer averages 4.6 from 70 ratings.
Do Exoplanet or Exoplanet Explorer have ads?
Neither Exoplanet nor Exoplanet Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Exoplanet or Exoplanet Explorer?
Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, and Exoplanet Explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Exoplanet was updated on September 21, 2026 and Exoplanet Explorer on September 24, 2026.

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