# Planet simulation vs The Orbital Defender

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Orbital Defender at every 5 days against Planet simulation's every 8 months. Planet simulation's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, 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 ships an update every 8 months, The Orbital Defender every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planet simulation | The Orbital Defender |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (165 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-simulation/id356146219/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **165** | — |
| Positive reviews | 74.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 15 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [DAN-BALL](https://appshunter.io/developer/348592290) | [Nakarda Richards](https://appshunter.io/developer/1838485887) |

## 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


### The Orbital Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-orbital-defender/id6758585573)

**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 The Orbital Defender free?

The Orbital Defender is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Planet simulation or The Orbital Defender have ads?

Both Planet simulation and The Orbital Defender show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planet simulation or The Orbital Defender?

Planet simulation ships an update every 8 months, and The Orbital Defender every 5 days. Most recently, Planet simulation was updated on October 22, 2026 and The Orbital Defender on October 28, 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.*