Comparison

Space Images vs Solar Walk

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

Solar Walk

Explore a detailed 3D model of our solar system and the universe. Interact with planets, moons, and satellites, and take virtual flights through space. Travel through time to see the universe's past and learn with educational movies.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D solar system model
  • Virtual flights between celestial bodies
  • Time travel feature for historical views
  • Educational movies about space
  • Orrery and true-to-scale view modes
  • Milky Way Galaxy view
Features
Read full description

Solar Walk is an amazing 3D model of our Solar system bringing the universe to the palm of your hand and allowing you to interact with planets, satellites, moons, comets and other space objects anytime and anywhere. Start your fascinating journey through the realms of space and learn more about the universe we live in. *** Over 6 million users!*** *** National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) - GOLD winner in the Educational Tools for Parents and Children category! *** *** A Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner *** “Simply amazing.” - Macworld “Solar Walk serves up a visually impressive 3D model of our solar system. Set against a haunting, atmospheric soundscape, the app shows planets and satellites in their correct positions, and offers mini movies, facts and other related tidbits.” - TNW “This jaw-dropping app provides a wholly interactive 3D model of our solar system, one that’s had me hooked for days. It’s the kind of thing you can imagine a science teacher using in the classroom of the future — except that we don’t have to wait.” - CNet “Zoom from Mercury to Pluto (which makes the cut in this app), passing each planet’s moons along the way. Because Solar Walk knows what time it is, the planets are in proper orientation to the Sun: Earth is dark where it is currently night and gradually lightens to daytime on the other side.” - NY Times "It's great for showing my students the relative positions of the planets in the solar system, the satellites orbiting the Earth and our place in the galaxy. Awesome with a smartboard as well." - by jbrown61 Solar Walk enables you to: ► Observe the 3D model of our Solar system with all its objects in real time and in a proper orientation. Turn into an astronomer and explore planets, moons, satellites, asteroids, dwarf planets, comets, stars and other celestial bodies. Enjoy gorgeous graphics and visuals while navigating through the solar system. ► Make virtual flights from one space object to another. ► Travel in time and see what the universe and our Solar system looked like at a certain period. ► Find an exciting view of the Milky Way Galaxy. ► Watch a collection of educational solar system movies to learn about space-related topics including Earth's moon phases, Earth's cycles, tidal phenomena, and zodiacal constellations. ► Enjoy 3D planetarium with the help of special glasses and activating the anaglyph mode. ► Share interesting screenshots of the app with your friends. ► Choose the view mode comfortable for you (orrery/true-to-scale). The app contains In-App Purchases. Solar Walk is a great educational tool appropriate for both adults and children. The amount of information users can learn about the planets, moons, satellites and other celestial bodies is impressive. All information is age-appropriate and detailed. Animated video clips will make learning about our Solar system even more engaging. Start exploring the universe with Solar Walk!

Screenshots

Space Images4 screens
Solar Walk4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Space Images at Free against Solar Walk's $4.99. Space Images also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10). Solar Walk's advantage is ratings volume (8.2K vs 16) and review sentiment (72% vs 63%). On rating, update cadence, 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

Space Images is free to download; Solar Walk costs $4.99 up front. Solar Walk sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Space Images asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Space Images against 4.7 for Solar Walk. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Solar Walk has 8.2K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Space Images's written reviews are positive against 72% of Solar Walk's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Space Images ships an update every 4 months, Solar Walk every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Space Images versus Solar Walk: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpace ImagesSolar Walk
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating4.6 (16 ratings)4.7 (8.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.0% of reviews72.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings168.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB451 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJet Propulsion LaboratoryVito Technology Inc.

Customer experience

Space Images

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

Solar Walk

All ratings8,149 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral3.5%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews461 reviews
Positive72.2%
Neutral7.2%
Negative20.6%

Bugs and requests

Space Images

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Solar Walk

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes on launch for some users
  • In-app purchases not working correctly
  • Freezing and performance issues on older devices
  • Incorrect planet/moon positioning and timing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more planets, moons, and objects to the solar system
  • Expand to include other star systems and galaxies
  • Improve navigation and controls for easier exploration
  • Offer more free content instead of paid add-ons
  • Fix reported bugs and crashes

In-app purchases

None

Space Images

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Solar Walk

One-time10
  • Cycles of the Earth SystemFree
  • Major Circles of LatitudeFree
  • Movies BundleFree
Show 7 more
  • 3D Satellites in Real TimeFree
  • Planets of the Solar SystemFree
  • What is a Solar Eclipse?Free
  • The Moon Phases ExplanationFree
  • Zodiacal ConstellationsFree
  • High Resolution Bundle$1.99
  • All Additional Content - Sale$2.99

Questions

Is Space Images free?
Space Images is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Solar Walk free?
Solar Walk costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Space Images or Solar Walk?
Solar Walk is rated higher. Space Images averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Solar Walk averages 4.7 from 8.2K ratings.
Do Space Images or Solar Walk have ads?
Neither Space Images nor Solar Walk shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Space Images or Solar Walk?
Space Images ships an update every 4 months, and Solar Walk every 5 months. Most recently, Space Images was updated on November 4, 2026 and Solar Walk on November 1, 2026.

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