# Exoplanet vs xSky

The clearest difference is rating: Exoplanet at 4.7 against xSky's 4.2. Exoplanet also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (956 vs 75). xSky's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Exoplanet holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exoplanet has 956 ratings behind it against 75, 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 80% of xSky's.

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, xSky every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and July 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exoplanet | xSky |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (956 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exoplanet/id327702034/reviews)** | [4.2 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xsky/id850941042/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **956** | 75 |
| Positive reviews | **91.0% of reviews** | 79.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanno Rein](https://appshunter.io/developer/325840976) | [Oleg Sur](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454732575) |

## 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


### xSky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xsky/id850941042)

Explore the cosmos with a virtual telescope. Point your device at the sky to identify celestial bodies. Zoom in for detailed views and use a search function to locate specific objects.

**Highlights:** Virtual telescope functionality, Identify Sun, Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies, Zoom up to a million times, Screen lock to stop motion, Object search arrow, Soft music and sound effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exoplanet free?

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

### Is xSky free?

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

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

Exoplanet is rated higher. Exoplanet averages 4.7 out of 5 from 956 ratings, while xSky averages 4.2 from 75 ratings.

### Do Exoplanet or xSky have ads?

Neither Exoplanet nor xSky shows ads.

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

Exoplanet ships an update every 2 weeks, and xSky every 3 months. Most recently, Exoplanet was updated on September 26, 2026 and xSky on July 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.*