Exoplanet vs Relatively Simple
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.
Relatively Simple
This app offers an experiential explanation of Einstein's theory of Special Relativity. Designed by a Carnegie Mellon University professor, it breaks down complex concepts like spacetime and E=mc^2 for a general audience.
- Experiential learning approach
- Explains Special Relativity
- Demystifies complex physics concepts
- Designed by university professor
- Accessible for general audience
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When people hear the term "Einstein's theory of Special Relativity", they automatically assume its above their heads. You hear terms like "Space Time" and the famous equation "e=mc^2" and it sounds way too abstract to understand for someone without a PhD in Physics. Designed by Carnegie Mellon University's Dr. Ira Rothstein, this app is aimed at experientially explaining Einstein's theory of special relativity to anybody.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Relatively Simple at none against Exoplanet's 7. Relatively Simple also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Exoplanet's advantage is ratings volume (956 vs 7) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads and device support 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. Relatively Simple asks for nothing beyond the download.
Relatively Simple holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exoplanet has 956 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Exoplanet's written reviews are positive against 100% of Relatively Simple's.
Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, Relatively Simple monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Exoplanet | Relatively Simple |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (956 ratings) | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 91.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 956 — better | 7 |
| 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 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 105 MB | 434 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hanno Rein | Ira Rothstein |
Customer experience
Exoplanet
Relatively Simple
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
Relatively Simple
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
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
Relatively Simple
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Exoplanet free?
Is Relatively Simple free?
Which has better reviews, Exoplanet or Relatively Simple?
Do Exoplanet or Relatively Simple have ads?
Which is updated more often, Exoplanet or Relatively Simple?
Other comparisons
