# Planet simulation vs Idle Universe!

The clearest difference is rating: Planet simulation at 3.9 against Idle Universe!'s 3.4. Planet simulation also leads on review sentiment (74% vs 40%). Idle Universe!'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Planet simulation holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 165 and 164 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Planet simulation's written reviews are positive against 40% of Idle Universe!'s.

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, Idle Universe! weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planet simulation | Idle Universe! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-simulation/id356146219/reviews)** | [3.4 (164 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-universe/id1484299354/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **165** | 164 |
| Positive reviews | **74.3% of reviews** | 40.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 15 MB | 144 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [DAN-BALL](https://appshunter.io/developer/348592290) | [泽鹏 韦](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005504151) |

## 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


### Idle Universe!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-universe/id1484299354)

Create your own solar system by starting with a meteorite and evolving planets. Explore the universe, discover black holes, and unlock new galaxies and celestial bodies.

**Highlights:** Create planets from meteorites, Build your own solar system, Explore the universe, Discover black holes, Unlock new galaxies, Collect celestial bodies

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and addictive gameplay mechanics
- 👍 User-friendly interface and design
- ✨ Visually appealing planet graphics
- 📱 Works well on iPad
- 🎯 Engaging progression system through planets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Black hole feature completely non-functional
- ⏱️ Game completable in just a few hours
- 📱 Inconsistent performance between phone and iPad
- 💰 Excessive ads and ad-watching requirements
- ❌ No offline currency generation despite 'idle' label

**Reported bugs**

- Black hole button locked and non-functional after Neptune
- Cannot reset world/progress despite unlocking Earth
- Offline earnings screen freezes and doesn't award currency
- Game progression stops at Neptune with no continuation
- Earth unlock requirement for black hole doesn't unlock properly

**Requested features**

- Add additional solar systems and galaxies
- Fix and implement functional black hole reset mechanic
- Add Pluto as a playable planet
- Implement offline idle earnings
- Add prestige/progression system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planet simulation free?

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

### Is Idle Universe! free?

Idle Universe! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Planet simulation or Idle Universe!?

Planet simulation is rated higher. Planet simulation averages 3.9 out of 5 from 165 ratings, while Idle Universe! averages 3.4 from 164 ratings.

### Do Planet simulation or Idle Universe! have ads?

Planet simulation shows ads; Idle Universe! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Planet simulation or Idle Universe!?

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, and Idle Universe! weekly. Most recently, Planet simulation was updated on October 22, 2026 and Idle Universe! on October 24, 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.*