Osmos vs Orbit
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Osmos
Navigate a cosmic world as a galactic mote. Absorb smaller organisms to grow while avoiding larger predators. This physics-based survival game features stunning graphics and an ambient soundtrack.
- Physics-based gameplay
- Absorb smaller organisms to grow
- Avoid larger predators
- Stellar graphics
- Ambient soundtrack
- 72 levels across 8 worlds
- Multiplayer mode
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** Apple Design Award winner and iPad Game of the Year! ** Enter the Darwinian world of a galactic mote. To survive, absorb smaller organisms and grow—but beware of larger predators. Osmos features unique physics-based play, stellar graphics, and a hypnotic ambient soundtrack. Absorb or be absorbed! “The ultimate ambient experience” — Gizmodo “Beyond doubt, a work of genius" — GameAndPlayer.net THE CRUX: you must grow by absorbing smaller motes, but to propel yourself you must eject matter behind you, causing you to shrink. From this delicate balance, Osmos leads the player through floating playgrounds, competitive petri dishes, deep solar systems, and more. “Named as iPad Game of the Year for a reason, Osmos is a fantastic game. A combination of physics, survival and classic eat em up” — WeDoCode “Whether you're a child at heart who likes mucking about with single-cell organisms, or a strategist with a physics degree, this game will appeal to everyone.” — App Store review AWARDS / recognition: * "iPad Game of the Year" and "iPhone App of the Week" — Apple * Apple Design Award winner (iPad version) * #1 Top iPhone Game — IGN * iPad Game of the Year — TUAW * Game of the Year — Create Digital Music * Editor's Choice — Wired, Macworld, IGN, GameTunnel, and more... * Best in Show — IndieCade * Vision Award — Independent Games Festival * Coolest Atmosphere — IGN * Best Soundtrack — IGN * Most Innovative Game — Best App Ever Awards, Pocket Gamer * Many top lists including Kotaku, PAX, TouchArcade, iLounge, APPera, IFC, and more... FEATURES: * 72 levels spanning 8 distinct worlds: Ambient, Antimatter, Solar, Sentient, Repulsor, Impasse, Warped Chaos, and Epicycles. * Multiplayer! (more info below.) * Award-winning electronic soundtrack by Loscil, Gas, High Skies, Biosphere, Julien Neto, and more. * Endless replay value: play random versions of any level in Arcade mode. * Seamlesss multitouch controls: swipe to warp time, tap anywhere to eject mass, pinch to zoom… * Time-warping: slow down the flow of time to outmaneuver agile opponents; speed it up to raise the challenge. * Confront four distinct AI opponents: the Ovarium, the Biophobe, the Nemocyte… and the deadly Ferax. * 13 single-player and 15 multiplayer achievements. * Progress synced via iCloud. MULTIPLAYER * Play against your friends and enemies, locally (via wi-fi), or over the Internet. * 6 distinct Arenas: Ambient, Impasse, Solar, Warped Chaos, Epicycles, and introducing… Antimatter Impasse. * iPad vs. iPhone play supported. “a beautiful, absorbing experience." — IGN 5/5 - Macworld Editor’s Choice - “One of the best games we’ve played so far this year. An utterly serene, yet fiendishly complicated game that deserves a place in every iPad owners collection.” — MacWorld “The best iPad game yet.” — IGN 4/4, Must Have - “We are more than overwhelmed by Osmos for iPad… The game design is thoughtful and intuitive, new level structures are flawless, and the visuals are stunning yet simplistic… every iPad owner should have Osmos on their device. You just won’t find another experience quite like it.” — Slide To Play “What iPad Gaming Should Be All About” — Gizmodo “The first proper breakout hit for the iPad. Osmos feels so natural and enjoyable to play, even when the difficulty ramps up and you find yourself repeatedly careening into a giant gaseous enemy.” — Wired “It’s the best iPad game on the App Store” — MTV Multiplayer 5/5 - “Osmos is an absolute must that will change the way you think of games, and what you expect from them.” — AppAdvice “Beyond doubt, a work of genius... a relaxing, meditative experience about going with the flow... It all adds up to something otherworldly and just . . . incredible.” — GameAndPlayer.net
Orbit
This app is a meditative physics puzzler where you launch planets to create stable orbits around black holes. Explore a variety of levels, create your own challenges in a sandbox mode, and enjoy a visually artistic and relaxing experience.
- Gravity simulation puzzles
- Create stable orbits
- Sandbox mode for level creation
- Community-created levels
- Visual orbital mechanics
- Minimalist graphics and relaxing music
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ORBIT is a gravity simulator at the heart of a puzzle game. Launch planets with a flick of your finger, and try to get them into stable orbits around black holes. Can you make enough orbits to progress to the next level? New: ORBIT now features a Sandbox (paid) where you can create your own levels! Control time, disable collisions, and paint with gravity. Publish your creations to the world for everyone to play. • 45 free levels, with new mechanics are introduced over time — like repulsive black holes and planets with their own gravity that attract each other • Play community-created levels — virtually limitless content made by other players, all completely free • Launch as many planets as you like, and watch the mesmerizing orbital mechanics unfold • Planets leave colored traces, so that at the end of a level you will have created a beautiful piece of art • See the future trajectory of a planet before you launch it • Play in an environment of smooth, minimalist graphics while listening to relaxing classical piano Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/highkeygames Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/highkeygames
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Orbit at Free against Osmos's $3.99. Orbit also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (7.6K vs 892). Osmos's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support 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
Orbit is free to download; Osmos costs $3.99 up front. Orbit sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Osmos asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Osmos against 4.8 for Orbit. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orbit has 7.6K ratings behind it against 892, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Osmos's written reviews are positive against 94% of Orbit's.
Osmos ships an update every 7 months, Orbit every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Osmos | Orbit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (892 ratings) | 4.8 (7.6K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 92.3% of reviews | 94.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 892 | 7.6K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #80 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 130 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hemisphere Games | HIGHKEY Games |
Customer experience
Osmos
Orbit
User reviews
Osmos
From 892 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Mesmerizing visuals and aesthetics
- 🎶 Excellent soundtrack and audio design
- 🧠 Challenging and thought-provoking gameplay
- 🕰️ Ability to control time/speed
- 🕊️ Relaxing and meditative experience
Room to improve
- 🤯 Frustratingly difficult at times
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🖥️ Not optimized for larger screens (iPad)
- 🔍 Lack of zoom/scale controls
Orbit
From 7.6K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fire game
- 👍 Relaxing and Enjoyable
- 👍 Calming, fun, stimulating, humble
- 👍 Simple and yet complicated
- 👍 Elegant and easy
Room to improve
- 🐛 In app purchased not reicevied
- 🐛 Purchase didn't work for sandbox & ad removal but it's fun.
- 🔒 Be ware of your data
- 🐛 Love-hate
Bugs and requests
Osmos
Reported bugs
2 issues- Crashes on certain devices/OS versions
- Compatibility issues with newer hardware
Requested features
4 requests- More levels and content updates
- Multiplayer mode improvements
- Customization options (e.g. music, visuals)
- Difficulty settings or accessibility options
Orbit
Reported bugs
3 issues- In app purchase not received
- Sandbox mode not working
- Game crashing and unable to open
Requested features
6 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to zoom in and out
- Ability to rotate the game to landscape on iPad
- Ability to edit and move existing objects in sandbox mode
- Ability to name planets and add moons
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- More levels and game modes
In-app purchases
Osmos
No in-app purchases
Orbit
- $1 contribution$0.99
- Remove ads$0.99
- $2 contribution$1.99
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- $3 contribution$2.99
- Unlock Sandbox (and remove ads)$2.99
- $5 contribution$4.99
- $10 contribution$9.99









