# Exoplanet vs First Light

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Light at none against Exoplanet's 7. First Light also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Exoplanet's advantage is ratings volume (978 vs 3) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

First Light holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exoplanet has 978 ratings behind it against 3, 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 First Light's.

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, First Light every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exoplanet | First Light |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (978 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-light-cosmic-viewer/id6780022564/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **978** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanno Rein](https://appshunter.io/developer/325840976) | [Thomas Sola](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780022566) |

## 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


### First Light

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-light-cosmic-viewer/id6780022564)

Explore the universe's earliest light with real cosmic microwave background data. Pan across the oldest light in the universe, switch between satellites, and observe shifts in frequency bands. This educational app brings real science and cosmic history to your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Explore cosmic microwave background data, Immersive sky exploration via phone movement, Switch between COBE, WMAP, and Planck satellites, Adjust frequency bands to see universe shifts, Utilizes real scientific data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exoplanet free?

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

### Is First Light free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Exoplanet or First Light?

First Light is rated higher. Exoplanet averages 4.7 out of 5 from 978 ratings, while First Light averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Exoplanet or First Light have ads?

Neither Exoplanet nor First Light shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Exoplanet or First Light?

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, and First Light every 3 weeks. Most recently, Exoplanet was updated on October 31, 2026 and First Light on October 31, 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.*