# Zappar vs solAR

The clearest difference is rating: solAR at 4.6 against Zappar's 3.6. solAR also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 42%) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 72). Zappar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. solAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Zappar asks for nothing beyond the download.

solAR holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: solAR has 2.1K ratings behind it against 72, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Zappar's written reviews are positive against 67% of solAR's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zappar | solAR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zappar/id429885268/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-solar-system-in-ar/id1286558019/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 72 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 42.0% of reviews | **67.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zappar Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/429885271) | [Michael Stoeckli](https://appshunter.io/developer/368788110) |

## What reviewers say

### Zappar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zappar/id429885268)

This app bridges the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Point your camera at special codes or images to unlock interactive content like videos, games, and 3D characters.

**Highlights:** Scan zapcodes and Zappar Powered images, Unlock videos and games, Interact with 3D characters, Experience augmented reality, Discover digital content on everyday items

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works fine
- 👍 Convenient and interactive
- 💡 Impressive animations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Scanning issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems
- 🔋 Battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Scanning not working
- Compatibility issues with iOS 14

**Requested features**

- Camera flip option
- Unlocked replay of content
- More content and zap codes


### solAR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-solar-system-in-ar/id1286558019)

Explore the solar system in 3D and augmented reality. View planets, moons, and the sun in high resolution, placing them in your real-world environment. Adjust distances and scales for an immersive educational experience.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality solar system exploration, High-resolution 3D models of planets and moons, Place celestial bodies in real-world environments, Adjustable planet and moon scale, Interactive learning about space, Intuitive gesture controls

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Activate all Celestial Bodies | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic and detailed planets
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🌟 Great AR implementation
- 💡 Helpful for learning about the solar system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid content required to access full features
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially after updates
- ⚠️ Inaccurate scale and proportions of planets/moons
- 🔧 Settings and controls not always intuitive

**Reported bugs**

- Planets not rendering properly in iOS 16
- Purchased content not unlocking correctly
- Frequent crashes and performance issues

**Requested features**

- Add more planets and dwarf planets
- Improve accuracy of scale and orbital mechanics
- Provide more educational information about planets
- Allow free access to full solar system view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zappar free?

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

### Is solAR free?

solAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Zappar or solAR?

solAR is rated higher. Zappar averages 3.6 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while solAR averages 4.6 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do Zappar or solAR have ads?

Neither Zappar nor solAR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Zappar or solAR?

Zappar ships an update every 3 months, and solAR every 3 months. Most recently, Zappar was updated on November 1, 2026 and solAR on November 6, 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.*