# Ions vs Planet Gravity

The clearest difference is price: Ions at Free against Planet Gravity's $11.00. Ions also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 44%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Planet Gravity's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (54 vs 13). On update cadence there is nothing between them.

Ions is free to download; Planet Gravity costs $11.00 up front. Planet Gravity sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Ions asks for nothing beyond the download.

Planet Gravity holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 54 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of Ions's written reviews are positive against 44% of Planet Gravity's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ions ships an update every 3 months, Planet Gravity every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ions | Planet Gravity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $11.00 |
| Rating | [3.8 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ions/id414602147/reviews) | **[4.2 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-gravity-simulateorbit/id1566504157/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **54** |
| Positive reviews | **83.6% of reviews** | 44.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 13 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Douglas Applewhite](https://appshunter.io/developer/414602150) | [Oscar Tsang](https://appshunter.io/developer/416987065) |

## What reviewers say

### Ions

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ions/id414602147)

Explore a virtual sandbox with up to 20,000 particles of light. Create dazzling patterns in real-time by painting with ions, placing emitters, and using fields to attract or repel them. Features accelerometer support and five distinct visual styles.

**Highlights:** Control up to 20,000 particles, Real-time pattern creation, Interactive painting with ions, Emitter placement for ion control, Attract/repel fields, Accelerometer support, Five visual styles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Visually stunning and beautiful
- 🧘 Relaxing and stress-relieving
- 🎨 Highly creative and artistic
- 💡 Inspires brainstorming and imagination
- 🎮 Addictive and fun time-waster

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Limited longevity and can get boring
- 📉 Some features not working on certain devices
- 🖼️ Saved images don't look as good as on-screen
- 🖱️ Sidebar and generator markers are always visible
- 🤷 Not much to do for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Rainbow color not working
- Multi-color part not working on iPad Air
- One of the layouts is broken
- App crashes when trying to save a layout
- Requires newest iPhone OS but user is on iPad

**Requested features**

- Add a grid for accurate placement
- Option to hide sidebar/markers
- Add wall/boundaries for ions to bounce off
- Allow choosing number and size of ions
- More control over emitters and fields


### Planet Gravity

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-gravity-simulateorbit/id1566504157)

Engage in a physics-based game simulating asteroid flight and solar system creation. Complete missions to explore the universe and pass the time. Discover other titles for freeform universe building.

**Highlights:** Physics-based gameplay, Asteroid simulation, Solar system creation, Level-based missions, Universe exploration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Golden Pass | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ions free?

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

### Is Planet Gravity free?

Planet Gravity costs $11.00, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ions or Planet Gravity?

Planet Gravity is rated higher. Ions averages 3.8 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Planet Gravity averages 4.2 from 54 ratings.

### Do Ions or Planet Gravity have ads?

Planet Gravity shows ads; Ions does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ions or Planet Gravity?

Ions ships an update every 3 months, and Planet Gravity every 4 months. Most recently, Ions was updated on October 7, 2026 and Planet Gravity on October 15, 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.*