Comparison

StarMap 3D+ Plus vs Exoplanet Explorer

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • 6,000+ confirmed exoplanets
  • Detailed scientific data
  • Advanced filtering and sorting
  • Planet comparison tool
  • Habitable zone analysis
  • Home screen widgets
  • Apple Watch companion app
Features
Read full description

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

StarMap 3D+ Plus4 screens
Exoplanet Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StarMap 3D+ Plus ships an update every 5 weeks, Exoplanet Explorer every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
StarMap 3D+ Plus versus Exoplanet Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarMap 3D+ PlusExoplanet Explorer
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (6.8K ratings) — better4.6 (70 ratings)
Positive reviews86.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6.8K — better70
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size576 MB169 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSanville SoftwareCarsten Knoblich

Customer experience

StarMap 3D+ Plus

All ratings6,821 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews752 reviews
Positive86.0%
Neutral5.1%
Negative8.9%

Exoplanet Explorer

All ratings70 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

1 purchases

StarMap 3D+ Plus

One-time1
  • More Stars$1.99
4 purchases

Exoplanet Explorer

Subscriptions2
  • 3 months subscription7 Days trial$2.993 Months
  • 12 months subscription7 Days trial$6.991 Year
One-time2
  • Big supporting tip$2.99
  • Really big supporting tip$4.99

Questions

Is StarMap 3D+ Plus free?
StarMap 3D+ Plus costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Exoplanet Explorer free?
Exoplanet Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StarMap 3D+ Plus or Exoplanet Explorer?
StarMap 3D+ Plus is rated higher. StarMap 3D+ Plus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while Exoplanet Explorer averages 4.6 from 70 ratings.
Do StarMap 3D+ Plus or Exoplanet Explorer have ads?
Neither StarMap 3D+ Plus nor Exoplanet Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StarMap 3D+ Plus or Exoplanet Explorer?
StarMap 3D+ Plus ships an update every 5 weeks, and Exoplanet Explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, StarMap 3D+ Plus was updated on September 24, 2026 and Exoplanet Explorer on September 24, 2026.

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