# NASA vs Solar System Scope

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NASA at none against Solar System Scope's 1. NASA also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Solar System Scope's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Solar System Scope sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NASA asks for nothing beyond the download.

NASA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NASA has 64K ratings behind it against 882, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 76% of Solar System Scope'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, Solar System Scope every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA | Solar System Scope |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516/reviews)** | [4.4 (882 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-scope/id863969175/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 882 |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **76.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [INOVE, s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/863969178) |

## 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


### Solar System Scope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-scope/id863969175)

Explore and discover the solar system and outer space with realistic 3D visualizations and detailed celestial simulations. This app offers an educational and engaging experience for all ages, featuring a comprehensive encyclopedia and a night sky observatory.

**Highlights:** 3D Encyclopedia of celestial bodies, Realistic 3D visualizations, Night sky observatory with time simulation, Accurate orbital parameter calculations, High-quality planetary and moon maps, Multilingual support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HQ Textures / No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing app
- 👍 Great for learning about space
- 🌟 Beautifully created
- 🔭 Realistic and detailed
- 🎓 Excellent for education

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔀 Orientation issues
- 🔒 Upgrade required for full functionality
- 🕰️ Difficulty pinpointing specific dates

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when dragging Jupiter
- Upside-down orientation on tablets
- Unable to restore purchases
- Freezes and crashes on launch

**Requested features**

- Add more celestial bodies (Messier objects, Planet 9/10, black holes, etc.)
- Enable exploration of other galaxies and deep space objects
- Improve telescope/zoom functionality
- Add more moons and irregular satellites
- Implement continental drift and solar system evolution


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA free?

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

### Is Solar System Scope free?

Solar System Scope is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NASA or Solar System Scope?

NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while Solar System Scope averages 4.4 from 882 ratings.

### Do NASA or Solar System Scope have ads?

Neither NASA nor Solar System Scope shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NASA or Solar System Scope?

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and Solar System Scope every 4 months. Most recently, NASA was updated on September 24, 2026 and Solar System Scope on September 22, 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.*