StarMap 3D+ Plus vs Exoplanet Explorer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StarMap 3D+ Plus
Explore the cosmos with a portable star atlas. Identify planets, constellations, and deep sky objects using your device's sensors. Features detailed information and 3D visualizations for both beginners and advanced astronomers.
- Real-time satellite tracking (ISS, Hubble)
- Extensive star and deep sky object database
- Detailed constellation information and lines
- Location-based celestial object identification
- 3D universe visualization
- Adjustable date and time for celestial viewing
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Use your iPhone's compass and gyroscope to find planets, constellations, satellites, and more with crisp, colorful, high-definition Retina graphics that use every pixel of your iPhone or iPad! Hold the universe in your pocket! StarMap 3D Plus is the portable star atlas for beginners or advanced astronomers. Use StarMap 3D Plus to find the planets, stars, constellations, star clusters, galaxies, and nebulae visible to you based on your location and time. StarMap 3D will even use the compass to automatically align the map! • Real-time positions of 150 artificial satellites, including the International Space Station (ISS), and the Hubble Space Telescope • iPad Support • Over 100,000 stars, with detailed information for each of them • 6,441 deep sky objects, with details such as distance from Earth, diameter, apparent size and orientation, and morphology • All 88 modern constellations, with lines based on the outlines from "The Stars: A New Way to See Them" by H.A. Rey • MacRobert and Classic constellation lines also available • Location-based-services (LBS) / Global Positioning System (GPS) support, or manually enter your longitude and latitude • Adjustable date and time of day • Also adjust time instantaneously and interactively with the Time Scroll feature • Compass support, if present • Planetarium Mode for seeing only objects visible to you, or browse the entire celestial sphere • 3D Mode for visualizing the universe in three dimensions
Exoplanet Explorer
Explore a vast catalog of over 6,000 confirmed exoplanets with detailed scientific data. Compare worlds, visualize habitable zones, and track new discoveries. Ideal for stargazers, students, educators, and researchers.
- 6,000+ confirmed exoplanets
- Detailed scientific data
- Advanced filtering and sorting
- Planet comparison tool
- Habitable zone analysis
- Home screen widgets
- Apple Watch companion app
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Explore the universe of exoplanets — over 6,000 confirmed worlds orbiting distant stars, updated from leading scientific archives. Track new discoveries as they happen and dive into the data behind every planet. EXPLORE THE COSMOS Search, filter, and sort the complete catalogue of confirmed exoplanets. Find planets by discovery method, star type, orbital characteristics, or habitability potential. Every entry includes detailed scientific data from peer-reviewed sources. ATMOSPHERIC SPECTRA Browse JWST and Hubble transmission spectra for planets where atmospheric data is available. Toggle molecular overlays for CO2, CH4, H2O, CO and more to see which absorption features have been detected. 3D SYSTEM VIEW Step into a planetary system in 3D — see each planet's orbit around its host star with realistic shading and a visualisation of the habitable zone. On iPhone and iPad you can also place a system into your environment in AR. COMPARE WORLDS Analyze exoplanets side-by-side — or compare them with Solar System planets like Earth, Jupiter, and Mars. Compare sizes, masses, orbital periods, star properties, and habitability scores to understand what makes each world unique. HABITABLE ZONE VISUALIZATION See exactly where planets orbit within their star's habitable zone — the region where liquid water could exist. Identify potentially Earth-like worlds and understand the conditions for life beyond our solar system. FEATURES • 6,000+ confirmed exoplanets with detailed scientific data • Atmospheric spectra with molecular overlays • 3D system view with AR mode • Advanced filtering and sorting • Planet comparison tool with Solar System reference • Habitable zone analysis • Spotlight search with deep linking • Home screen widgets • Apple Watch companion app • Bookmark favorites with iCloud sync • Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro GO PREMIUM Enjoying the app? Premium takes it further — unlimited bookmarks, the full planet comparison tool, and additional widgets. A small yearly upgrade that makes a big difference. Whether you're a curious stargazer, student, educator, or researcher, Exoplanet Explorer puts the cosmos in your pocket. Terms of Use (EULA): https://the-exoplanets.space/eula/ Privacy Policy: https://the-exoplanets.space/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Exoplanet Explorer at Free against StarMap 3D+ Plus's $2.99. Exoplanet Explorer also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 86%). StarMap 3D+ Plus's advantage is ratings volume (6.8K vs 70) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement 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
Exoplanet Explorer is free to download; StarMap 3D+ Plus costs $2.99 up front. StarMap 3D+ Plus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Exoplanet Explorer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
StarMap 3D+ Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StarMap 3D+ Plus has 6.8K ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of StarMap 3D+ Plus's written reviews are positive against 100% of Exoplanet Explorer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
StarMap 3D+ Plus ships an update every 5 weeks, Exoplanet Explorer every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | StarMap 3D+ Plus | Exoplanet Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (6.8K ratings) — better | 4.6 (70 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 86.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6.8K — better | 70 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 576 MB | 169 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sanville Software | Carsten Knoblich |
Customer experience
StarMap 3D+ Plus
Exoplanet Explorer
Bugs and requests
StarMap 3D+ Plus
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes or freezes on launch
- Incorrect moon and planet positioning
- Inconsistent performance after updates
Requested features
4 requests- More detailed deep sky object representations
- Improved tracking and compass accuracy
- Addition of educational content and tutorials
- Customization options for constellation art
Exoplanet Explorer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
StarMap 3D+ Plus
- More Stars$1.99
Exoplanet Explorer
- 3 months subscription7 Days trial$2.993 Months
- 12 months subscription7 Days trial$6.991 Year
- Big supporting tip$2.99
- Really big supporting tip$4.99
Questions
Is StarMap 3D+ Plus free?
Is Exoplanet Explorer free?
Which has better reviews, StarMap 3D+ Plus or Exoplanet Explorer?
Do StarMap 3D+ Plus or Exoplanet Explorer have ads?
Which is updated more often, StarMap 3D+ Plus or Exoplanet Explorer?
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