# Exoplanet vs CosmoCalc

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CosmoCalc at none against Exoplanet's 7. CosmoCalc also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Exoplanet's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (974 vs 4). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Exoplanet sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. CosmoCalc asks for nothing beyond the download.

CosmoCalc holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exoplanet has 974 ratings behind it against 4, 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 CosmoCalc's.

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, CosmoCalc every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exoplanet | CosmoCalc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (974 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmocalc/id334569654/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **974** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanno Rein](https://appshunter.io/developer/325840976) | [Eli Rykoff](https://appshunter.io/developer/318275933) |

## 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


### CosmoCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmocalc/id334569654)

This app calculates astronomical distances and scales based on user-selected cosmological parameters. It offers a simple interface for astronomers, students, and enthusiasts to quickly determine various cosmic measurements.

**Highlights:** Select cosmological parameters (H0, Ωm, ΩΛ), Choose from common reference cosmologies, Calculate luminosity distance, Determine angular diameter distance, Calculate lookback time, Find age of the Universe, Compute comoving volume and critical density

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exoplanet free?

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

### Is CosmoCalc free?

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

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

CosmoCalc is rated higher. Exoplanet averages 4.7 out of 5 from 974 ratings, while CosmoCalc averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Exoplanet or CosmoCalc have ads?

Neither Exoplanet nor CosmoCalc shows ads.

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

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, and CosmoCalc every 6 months. Most recently, Exoplanet was updated on October 23, 2026 and CosmoCalc on October 6, 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.*