# Planet simulation vs Pocket Marble Runs

The clearest difference is rating: Pocket Marble Runs at 4.7 against Planet simulation's 3.9. Pocket Marble Runs also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 165). Planet simulation's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket Marble Runs sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Planet simulation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pocket Marble Runs holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Marble Runs has 2.1K ratings behind it against 165, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Planet simulation's written reviews are positive against 81% of Pocket Marble Runs's.

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, Pocket Marble Runs every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planet simulation | Pocket Marble Runs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-simulation/id356146219/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-marble-runs/id1088172321/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 165 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 74.3% of reviews | **80.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 MB | 152 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DAN-BALL](https://appshunter.io/developer/348592290) | [monois Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/498398223) |

## What reviewers say

### Planet simulation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-simulation/id356146219)

Design and build your own solar system with various stars. Explore the fascinating world of gravity and recreate celestial bodies. A relaxing game for your spare time.

**Highlights:** Create your own solar system, Simulate gravity, Design with various stars, Reproduce celestial bodies, Relaxing gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic gravity simulation
- 👍 Fun to mess around with
- 🎨 Visually appealing
- 🤖 Good for learning about planetary motion

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Planets often crash into the sun
- 🔍 Limited features and customization options
- 📢 Distracting ads
- 🤯 Confusing controls and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Planets sometimes disappear or behave erratically
- App crashes or freezes occasionally
- Scaling and scrolling issues

**Requested features**

- Add more celestial objects (black holes, supernovas, etc.)
- Allow for more complex orbits and binary systems
- Implement a save/load feature for solar systems
- Add a tutorial or help section
- Integrate with educational resources on astronomy


### Pocket Marble Runs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-marble-runs/id1088172321)

Create interactive marble runs and chain reaction machines by simply tracing the screen. Design unique paths and experiment with different devices to watch your creations come to life. This app offers a fun and intuitive way to build complex contraptions with ease.

**Highlights:** Trace screen to create paths, Draw lines to create devices, Change devices after creation, Adjust camera angle and zoom, Toggle sound effects and music, Enable/disable device shadows

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tricks Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Save Slot Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Combo pack | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good game
- 🙂 Fun and engaging
- 💡 Helps understand physics
- 🎨 Interesting style and variety of levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🛑 Annoying ads
- 🤔 Some tricks don't work as expected

**Reported bugs**

- Premature activation of modules
- Floating point errors
- Inconsistent English descriptions

**Requested features**

- More save file slots
- Ability to build custom tracks
- New tricks and modes
- Larger building area
- Online level sharing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planet simulation free?

Planet simulation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pocket Marble Runs free?

Pocket Marble Runs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Planet simulation or Pocket Marble Runs?

Pocket Marble Runs is rated higher. Planet simulation averages 3.9 out of 5 from 165 ratings, while Pocket Marble Runs averages 4.7 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do Planet simulation or Pocket Marble Runs have ads?

Both Planet simulation and Pocket Marble Runs show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planet simulation or Pocket Marble Runs?

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, and Pocket Marble Runs every 2 months. Most recently, Planet simulation was updated on October 22, 2026 and Pocket Marble Runs on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*