Exoplanet vs NASA Visualization Explorer
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.
NASA Visualization Explorer
Explore advanced space-based research through engaging stories and stunning visualizations. See Earth from new perspectives and journey to distant locations through a direct connection to NASA's research spacecraft. Discover cutting-edge science delivered weekly to your device.
- Advanced space-based research stories
- Cutting-edge research visualizations
- View Earth from new perspectives
- Travel to inaccessible locations
- New stories updated weekly
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NASA SCIENCE: REVEALED! This is the NASA Visualization Explorer, the coolest way to get stories about advanced space-based research delivered right to your iOS device. A direct connection to NASA’s extraordinary fleet of research spacecraft, this app presents cutting edge research stories in an engaging and exciting format. See the Earth as you’ve never seen it before; travel to places otherwise unavailable to even the most intrepid explorers! Download it now, tap into the power of NASA’s cutting-edge research today and check for new stories every week! - WiFi or cellular connection required -
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Exoplanet at 4.7 against NASA Visualization Explorer's 3.3. Exoplanet also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 51%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). NASA Visualization Explorer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (6.1 vs 13.0). 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. NASA Visualization Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Exoplanet holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exoplanet has 956 ratings behind it against 86, 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 51% of NASA Visualization Explorer's.
Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, NASA Visualization Explorer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Exoplanet | NASA Visualization Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (956 ratings) — better | 3.3 (86 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews — better | 50.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 956 — better | 86 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| 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 | 6.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 105 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hanno Rein | NASA |
Customer experience
Exoplanet
NASA Visualization Explorer
User reviews
Exoplanet
From 956 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app
- 👍 Insanely entertaining
- 👍 Amazing graphics and interactive diorama
- 👍 Detailed explanation of planets
- 👍 Awesome app for astronomy and physics lovers
Room to improve
- 🐛 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
NASA Visualization Explorer
From 86 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Stunning visuals
- 🔍 Informative content
- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 🤓 Great for science enthusiasts
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- ⏱️ Slow loading times
- 🔒 Requires account sign-in
- 💤 Lack of new content updates
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
NASA Visualization Explorer
Reported bugs
4 issues- Freezing on tutorial screen
- Incompatibility with iOS 10+
- Video playback issues
- Unreliable server connectivity
Requested features
4 requests- Offline content viewing
- Interactive data visualizations
- Support for older devices
- Customizable notification settings
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
NASA Visualization Explorer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Exoplanet free?
Is NASA Visualization Explorer free?
Which has better reviews, Exoplanet or NASA Visualization Explorer?
Do Exoplanet or NASA Visualization Explorer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Exoplanet or NASA Visualization Explorer?
Other comparisons
