# Exoplanet vs Exoplanet Explorer

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Exoplanet | Exoplanet Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (956 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034/reviews)** | [4.6 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet-explorer/id1457614833/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **956** | 70 |
| Positive reviews | 91.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 105 MB | 169 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanno Rein](https://appshunter.io/developer/325840976) | [Carsten Knoblich](https://appshunter.io/developer/541438854) |

## 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


### Exoplanet Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet-explorer/id1457614833)

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:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 months subscription | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| 12 months subscription | $6.99 | per year |
| Big supporting tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Really big supporting tip | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*