# NASA vs Planetaria

The clearest difference is price: NASA at Free against Planetaria's $4.99. NASA also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (64K vs 9). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

NASA is free to download; Planetaria costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NASA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NASA has 64K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 50% of Planetaria's.

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, Planetaria every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA | Planetaria |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516/reviews)** | [4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetaria-space-simulator/id1546887479/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **69.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 60 MB | 510 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Joseph Rupertus](https://appshunter.io/developer/1610637143) |

## What reviewers say

### NASA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516)

Explore the universe with access to live and on-demand NASA+ videos, a vast collection of stunning images, and the latest mission news. Discover interactive augmented reality experiences and track the International Space Station's path.

**Highlights:** NASA+ video streaming, 21,000+ NASA images, Latest NASA news, Mission updates, Podcasts, ISS tracking and Sky View, Augmented reality experiences

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast loading
- 👍 Informative and educational
- 🌟 Amazing images and videos
- 💻 Great for learning about space
- 🔭 Comprehensive space information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 📺 Missing live streaming features
- 🔄 Outdated user interface
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch for some devices
- Inability to close/exit image viewer
- Notifications not working as expected
- Incompatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add live streaming of NASA TV
- Improve navigation and search
- Implement dark mode option
- Bring back old features (e.g. APOD widget, ISS sightings)
- Enhance 3D models and AR capabilities


### Planetaria

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetaria-space-simulator/id1546887479)

Explore a dynamic 3D model of the Solar System, synchronizing with real-time data to show celestial bodies in orbit. Discover planets, dwarf planets, and moons with detailed surface models. Manipulate time to view past and future solar system configurations.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D Solar System model, Real-time celestial body positions, Detailed 3D surface models, Explore planets, dwarf planets, and moons, Time manipulation (past/future), AR integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA free?

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

### Is Planetaria free?

Planetaria costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NASA or Planetaria?

NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while Planetaria averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

### Do NASA or Planetaria have ads?

Neither NASA nor Planetaria shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NASA or Planetaria?

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and Planetaria every 5 months. Most recently, NASA was updated on September 25, 2026 and Planetaria on September 2, 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.*