# Planet simulation vs Space Sandbox Playground

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Planet simulation at 74% against Space Sandbox Playground's 20%. Planet simulation also leads on rating (3.9 vs 1.1) and ratings volume (165 vs 10). Space Sandbox Playground's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 8 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 1.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planet simulation has 165 ratings behind it against 10, 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 20% of Space Sandbox Playground's.

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, Space Sandbox Playground weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planet simulation | Space Sandbox Playground |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-simulation/id356146219/reviews)** | [1.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-sandbox-playground/id6479830358/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **165** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **74.3% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 15 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [DAN-BALL](https://appshunter.io/developer/348592290) | [Eventronic Systems, SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/692703720) |

## 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


### Space Sandbox Playground

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-sandbox-playground/id6479830358)

Design and build your own space platform, then explore it in game mode. Populate your creations with various creatures and objects for unique cosmic adventures.

**Highlights:** Design custom space platforms, Populate with creatures and objects, Explore in game mode, Cosmic creativity and adventure, Build futuristic space stations

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planet simulation free?

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

### Is Space Sandbox Playground free?

Space Sandbox Playground is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Planet simulation or Space Sandbox Playground?

Planet simulation is rated higher. Planet simulation averages 3.9 out of 5 from 165 ratings, while Space Sandbox Playground averages 1.1 from 10 ratings.

### Do Planet simulation or Space Sandbox Playground have ads?

Both Planet simulation and Space Sandbox Playground show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planet simulation or Space Sandbox Playground?

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, and Space Sandbox Playground weekly. Most recently, Planet simulation was updated on November 1, 2026 and Space Sandbox Playground on November 4, 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.*