Comparison

Space Images vs ISS Explorer

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

Head to head
About

Space Images

Explore breathtaking images from NASA missions, featuring planets, galaxies, and space technology. This app offers widgets for your home screen and StandBy mode, allowing you to view a slideshow while your device charges. You can also bookmark, search, and share your favorite celestial discoveries.

Highlights
  • Latest NASA space images
  • Widgets for home screen
  • StandBy mode slideshow
  • Image notifications
  • Search and browse categories
  • Bookmark and share images
Features
Read full description

Discover stunning new images of space, planets, Mars, asteroids, stars, galaxies, and cutting-edge space technology as they are released each week from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This new version of Space Images is fully redesigned and optimized for iOS 17, now supporting all widgets, including StandBy, which can display a slideshow while your device is charging. • iTunes Staff Favorite • Top Free App in the App Store Education category Features • From Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the icy moons of the outer solar system, get the latest science images of planets, stars, galaxies, robotic explorers, weather, and more. • Opt-in to get once-per-week notifications of the coolest images captured by JPL’s fleet of NASA space probes, including the Ingenuity Mars helicopter and rovers and the James Webb Space Telescope. • View the latest images from space on your home screen using our widgets. • Display a continuous rotating carousel of Space Images on your desk or side table using Standby (iOS 17). • “Like” and bookmark your favorite celestial images and share seamlessly on popular social media platforms. • Search by keyword or browse by these categories: Earth, Mars, Solar System, Stars and Galaxies, Exoplanets, Robotics, and Technology. • Save images to your photo library and share them with your friends.

About

ISS Explorer

Explore a detailed 3D model of the International Space Station. Rotate, zoom, and select individual components to learn about their function and systems. Organize your view by turning parts and labels on or off.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D ISS model
  • Rotate and zoom functionality
  • Selectable parts with isolation
  • Detailed information on components
  • Hierarchical part organization
  • Toggle parts and labels
Features
Read full description

The ISS explorer is an interactive tool for exploring the parts and pieces of the International Space Station (ISS). The application allows the user to view a 3D model of the ISS, rotate it, zoom into it, and select different parts and pieces. When the application starts, you can see a view of the entire ISS with category labels. Tabs are available on the left hand side of the screen which allow you access to information, the hierarchy, settings and application information. From this point, you can zoom into the station, revealing more labels of visible parts. The station can also be rotated to view from different angles. If a part is selected, the part is isolated so that you can focus on the specific piece. The information tab shows information about the currently isolated part. Inside the hierarchy tab, you can turn parts on or off, turn labels for parts on or off, turn parts transparent, or select a part to focus on. The parts are organized in a hierarchy to allow for systems to be described and displayed. This includes things such as truss, modules, and external platforms. The Information tab shows information about the current isolated part, system, or the full ISS if the entire station is shown.

Screenshots

Space Images4 screens
ISS Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ISS Explorer at 100% against Space Images's 63%. ISS Explorer also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Space Images's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ISS Explorer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Space Images's written reviews are positive against 100% of ISS Explorer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Space Images ships an update every 4 months, ISS Explorer every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Space Images versus ISS Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpace ImagesISS Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (15 ratings)4.9 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1516 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB747 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJet Propulsion LaboratoryNASA

Customer experience

Space Images

All ratings15 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews119 reviews
Positive63.0%
Neutral9.2%
Negative27.7%

ISS Explorer

All ratings16 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Space Images

No in-app purchases

None

ISS Explorer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Space Images free?
Space Images is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ISS Explorer free?
ISS Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Space Images or ISS Explorer?
ISS Explorer is rated higher. Space Images averages 4.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while ISS Explorer averages 4.9 from 16 ratings.
Do Space Images or ISS Explorer have ads?
Neither Space Images nor ISS Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Space Images or ISS Explorer?
Space Images ships an update every 4 months, and ISS Explorer every 10 months. Most recently, Space Images was updated on October 16, 2026 and ISS Explorer on October 13, 2026.

Other comparisons