# A Solar System Journey vs DIY Solar System

A Solar System Journey and DIY Solar System both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of DIY Solar System's written reviews are positive against 25% of A Solar System Journey's. DIY Solar System also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). A Solar System Journey's advantage is ratings volume (435 vs 17). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for A Solar System Journey against 4.5 for DIY Solar System. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: A Solar System Journey has 435 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 25% of A Solar System Journey's written reviews are positive against 100% of DIY Solar System's.

A Solar System Journey ships an update every 6 months, DIY Solar System every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A Solar System Journey | DIY Solar System |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (435 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-solar-system-journey/id444804070/reviews) | **[4.5 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-solar-system/id1644242890/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **435** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 15 MB | 180 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Rouda](https://appshunter.io/developer/396597129) | [The Lawrence Hall of Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/462994550) |

## What reviewers say

### A Solar System Journey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-solar-system-journey/id444804070)

Explore our solar system with detailed information and images for each planet. Discover facts, view animated orbits, and learn about Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

**Highlights:** Detailed planet information, Close-up planet images, Animated planet orbits, Facts about each planet, Covers all major planets

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Nice graphics
- ✨ Kool presentation
- ✨ Interesting solar system facts
- ✨ Helpful for astronomy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App freezes
- 🐛 App won't download
- 🐛 Planets rotate backwards
- 🐛 Incorrect astronomical facts

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work after download
- Cannot exit planet view
- App crashes on opening
- Planets rotate and orbit backwards
- Mercury and Earth both listed as densest

**Requested features**

- Add dwarf plants and other stuff
- Add more moons
- Add more photos
- Add more data about planets
- Add Pluto


### DIY Solar System

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-solar-system/id1644242890)

Explore the solar system with interactive activities and an augmented reality planet walk. Learn about space travel, design a moon base, and identify celestial objects. Developed by leading science institutions, this app makes learning about space engaging for families and educators.

**Highlights:** Interactive space activities, Augmented reality planet walk, Design a moon base, Grow a space garden, Control a Mars rover, In or Out space game, NASA imagery

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A Solar System Journey free?

A Solar System Journey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DIY Solar System free?

DIY Solar System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, A Solar System Journey or DIY Solar System?

DIY Solar System is rated higher. A Solar System Journey averages 4.5 out of 5 from 435 ratings, while DIY Solar System averages 4.5 from 17 ratings.

### Do A Solar System Journey or DIY Solar System have ads?

A Solar System Journey shows ads; DIY Solar System does not.

### Which is updated more often, A Solar System Journey or DIY Solar System?

A Solar System Journey ships an update every 6 months, and DIY Solar System every 2 months. Most recently, A Solar System Journey was updated on November 1, 2026 and DIY Solar System on October 24, 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.*