# NASA vs Distant Suns 5

The clearest difference is price: NASA at Free against Distant Suns 5's $2.99. NASA also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

NASA is free to download; Distant Suns 5 costs $2.99 up front. Distant Suns 5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NASA asks for nothing beyond the download.

NASA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NASA has 64K ratings behind it against 97, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 77% of Distant Suns 5's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, Distant Suns 5 every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA | Distant Suns 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516/reviews)** | [4.3 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distant-suns-5/id363418936/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 97 |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 815 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Mike Smithwick](https://appshunter.io/developer/294198918) |

## 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


### Distant Suns 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distant-suns-5/id363418936)

Explore the cosmos with a realistic and user-friendly astronomy app. Discover constellations, planets, and celestial events with detailed information and stunning visuals. Perfect for both casual stargazers and serious astronomers.

**Highlights:** Realistic night sky display, View from Earth or solar system, Over 18 million stars, Integrated NASA space events, Stories behind constellations, Night vision color mode, Hubble Space Telescope images

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hubble Guide Star Catalog | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent astronomy app
- 🔭 Comprehensive features for stargazing
- 🌍 Helpful for learning about the night sky
- 🔍 Useful for planning observing sessions
- 🌌 Stunning visuals and graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs in recent updates
- 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive interface changes
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and selecting objects
- 🔍 Missing or inaccurate information

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when accessing preferences
- Inability to sync with iCloud
- Unresponsive or freezing app
- Incorrect or outdated information displayed
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Add more detailed information on celestial objects
- Improve compass and tracking functionality
- Provide better support for astrophotography
- Introduce a dark mode for night viewing
- Add more customization options for the user interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA free?

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

### Is Distant Suns 5 free?

Distant Suns 5 costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NASA or Distant Suns 5?

NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while Distant Suns 5 averages 4.3 from 97 ratings.

### Do NASA or Distant Suns 5 have ads?

Neither NASA nor Distant Suns 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NASA or Distant Suns 5?

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and Distant Suns 5 every 5 months. Most recently, NASA was updated on October 19, 2026 and Distant Suns 5 on October 14, 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.*