Comparison

NASA vs Cosmic

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NASA

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
Read full description

The redesigned NASA App unlocks access to the new NASA+ video streaming service, plus all the latest NASA images, news, mission information, podcasts, and interactive augmented reality experiences to explore -- putting the universe at your fingertips! With the NASA App, you'll be able to: • Explore with unlimited access to NASA+, featuring all of NASA's official live coverage and original on-demand video series. No subscription required. • Easily view over 21,000 of the latest NASA images • Rate images and explore all of the highest rated ones • Read all the latest NASA news and feature articles • Get the latest updates on Artemis, the James Webb Space Telescope, and other exciting NASA missions. • Listen to our podcasts featuring astronauts and experts who take you on a tour of the galaxy without ever leaving Earth. • Set an alert for when the International Space Station will fly over your location and use the Sky View feature to help you locate the station during the visible pass • Experience our rovers and rockets up close and personal with augmented reality. • And so much more! Download the updated NASA App now!

About

Cosmic

Explore the cosmos with this app that offers interactive tools for celestial navigation and astronomical observation. Visualize the sky, Earth, and solar system from multiple perspectives, and discover constellations, planets, and events in augmented reality. It's a blend of ancient wisdom and modern technology for a deeper connection to the universe.

Highlights
  • Multiple celestial perspectives (sky, Earth, solar system)
  • Augmented reality sky exploration
  • Interactive astronomical and world clocks
  • Visualized natal charts (Western, Vedic, Sidereal)
  • Day/night cycles on Earth globe
  • Celestial navigation guides
  • Notifications for astronomical events
Features
Read full description

The sky above you, the Earth beneath you, the solar system you move through space. Three perspectives no other app combines this way. For thousands of years humans read the sky to measure time, navigate the Earth, and find meaning in their existence. Astronomy, astrology, and timekeeping were one science. Cosmic Watch reunites them. Free for the first time in ten years. FEATURES (core) • Sky View — stars, planets, and constellations • Earth View — day and night cycle, the cosmos around it • Solar System — geocentric and heliocentric • Celestial sphere — full 360° sky overview, unique to this app • Astrology Mode — Western, Vedic and 3D • Retrograde motion across all planets • World clock and astronomical events • Notifications for eclipses, solstices, and moon cycles • Celestial navigation — orient yourself by the sky Or just watch the Earth float in space and remember where you are. Free to explore. The three views, sky guide, every layer, star names, world clock, and notifications are yours from the first open. Tools and Time Control unlock with a subscription — or forever with Cosmic Pro. Keep the project alive and growing. We read every message you send us. TOOLS (in-app purchase) • Moon Calendar • Real-Time Clouds • Meteor Showers • Comets • Planetary Aspects • Retrograde Year • Dreamspell Calendar • Atmosphere Clockface • Save Date / Time / Location • Time Control — move forward and back, any moment A full app. Not a widget or watch face, yet. Runs on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Silicon Mac Privacy committed: No account required. Analytics never shared. Webby Award for Best Educational App 2018. New York Times. Wired. Space.com. By a Chi Gong master and an animation artist. Still looking up. Time is the Cosmic Rhythm. Terms of Use: https://cosmic-watch.com/termsOfService/ Privacy Policy: https://cosmic-watch.com/privacyPolicy/

Screenshots

NASA4 screens
Cosmic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NASA at none against Cosmic's 6. NASA also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (64K vs 636). Cosmic's advantage is review sentiment (87% vs 70%). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cosmic sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. NASA asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for NASA against 4.8 for Cosmic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NASA has 64K ratings behind it against 636, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 87% of Cosmic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, Cosmic every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
NASA versus Cosmic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNASACosmic
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (64K ratings) — better4.8 (636 ratings)
Positive reviews69.9% of reviews86.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings64K — better636
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB194 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNASACelestial Dynamics AG

Customer experience

NASA

All ratings63,707 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews511 reviews
Positive69.9%
Neutral6.8%
Negative23.3%

Cosmic

All ratings624 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews152 reviews
Positive86.8%
Neutral3.9%
Negative9.2%

User reviews

NASA

From 64K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Cosmic

From 636 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Visually stunning and mesmerizing
  • 🔍 Excellent for learning about the solar system and celestial sphere
  • 🕰️ Useful for tracking planetary movements and positions
  • 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive interface
  • 🧠 Highly educational and informative

Room to improve

  • 🔧 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 📍 Inaccurate location detection
  • 🔍 Overwhelming amount of information for beginners
  • ⚙️ Difficulty in customizing and managing settings
  • 🔍 Lack of clear tutorials and user guides

Bugs and requests

NASA

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Cosmic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Date and time not accurately reflected in the solar system view
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between different modes and settings
  • Difficulty in maintaining user preferences across sessions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add an alarm feature to wake up to different celestial views
  • Implement support for Apple Watch and other wearables
  • Provide more options to customize the display and information layers
  • Include a night mode or dimmer setting for better visibility in low light
  • Integrate with other astronomy apps and tools for a more comprehensive experience

In-app purchases

None

NASA

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Cosmic

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Plan$0.991 Month
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$4.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • Tools Pack$2.99
  • Cosmic Pro$69.99

Questions

Is NASA free?
NASA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cosmic free?
Cosmic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NASA or Cosmic?
NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while Cosmic averages 4.8 from 636 ratings.
Do NASA or Cosmic have ads?
Neither NASA nor Cosmic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NASA or Cosmic?
NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cosmic every 6 months. Most recently, NASA was updated on October 28, 2026 and Cosmic on October 26, 2026.

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