Comparison

NASA Visualization Explorer vs ISS Live Now

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NASA Visualization Explorer

Explore advanced space-based research through engaging stories and stunning visualizations. See Earth from new perspectives and journey to distant locations through a direct connection to NASA's research spacecraft. Discover cutting-edge science delivered weekly to your device.

Highlights
  • Advanced space-based research stories
  • Cutting-edge research visualizations
  • View Earth from new perspectives
  • Travel to inaccessible locations
  • New stories updated weekly
Features
Read full description

NASA SCIENCE: REVEALED! This is the NASA Visualization Explorer, the coolest way to get stories about advanced space-based research delivered right to your iOS device. A direct connection to NASA’s extraordinary fleet of research spacecraft, this app presents cutting edge research stories in an engaging and exciting format. See the Earth as you’ve never seen it before; travel to places otherwise unavailable to even the most intrepid explorers! Download it now, tap into the power of NASA’s cutting-edge research today and check for new stories every week! - WiFi or cellular connection required -

About

ISS Live Now

Experience Earth from orbit with a 24/7 live HD video stream from the International Space Station. Track the ISS's path on a dynamic map and access various NASA and ESA feeds, including spacewalk footage and interior tours.

Highlights
  • 24/7 live HD Earth view from ISS
  • Interactive ISS orbit tracker map
  • Multiple live video streams (ISS cameras, NASA TV, ESA)
  • Spacewalk and interior ISS video tours
  • Notifications for live sunrise/sunset views
  • Launchpad live streams
Features
Read full description

See the Earth as the astronauts see it with a 24/7 video livestream from the International Space Station. If you like space or astronomy, you will love ISS Live Now. ISS Live Now gives you easy access to live video feeds of Earth from the International Space Station, orbiting about 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the planet. The app combines live streaming, orbit tracking and space exploration tools in one thoughtful experience. LIVE VIDEO STREAMS • Live HD Camera: High-resolution view of Earth from EHDC cameras aboard the ISS. • Live Standard Camera: Live Earth views with mission updates, tests and communications. • NASA TV: Science and space documentaries, plus interviews with astronauts, scientists and engineers. • NASA TV Media. • Spacewalk (Recorded): HD footage from cameras outside the ISS. • Inside the International Space Station: Video tours of ISS modules explained by astronauts. • Eventual Channel: Temporary live feeds from NASA, ESA, Roscosmos and SpaceX. • Launchpad Cameras: 24/7 live streams from launch sites around the world. • ESA: Live feeds from the European Space Agency. • Sen.com 4K Cameras: Ultra-high-definition views via the official Sen website. MAP & TRACKING Follow the ISS orbit with Google Maps or an interactive 3D globe. Zoom, rotate, drag and tilt the map to see exactly where the station is flying. ISS DETECTOR Discover when the ISS will pass over your location, track visible passes in the sky and receive alerts for daylight passes near you. ROCKET LAUNCHES & EVENTS Browse upcoming rocket launches and receive notifications about live space events, including spacewalks and mission milestones. EXPLORE & LEARN • Virtual Tour: Explore the ISS in an immersive street-view experience. • Who Is in the ISS: Meet the astronauts currently aboard the station. • SpaceX Docking Simulator: Practice docking with the official SpaceX simulator. • Solar System Explorer: Travel through the solar system. NOTIFICATIONS Get alerts for sunrise and sunset as seen from the ISS, interesting locations on Earth, rocket launches and special live events. NOTE When the ISS is on Earth's night side, the video image is black: this is normal. Occasionally, a blue or blank screen appears due to transmission issues or camera changes. The stream usually returns within a few minutes. This is not an app problem. X: @isslivenow, News about the ISS, NASA, space, Earth and the live stream. Instagram: @isslivenow, Photos of Earth from the streaming cameras and NASA TV. Facebook: @isslivenow, Photos, news and information about ISS Live Now.

Screenshots

NASA Visualization Explorer4 screens
ISS Live Now4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ISS Live Now at 4.6 against NASA Visualization Explorer's 3.3. ISS Live Now also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 51%) and ratings volume (6.6K vs 86). NASA Visualization Explorer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ISS Live Now sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NASA Visualization Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ISS Live Now holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ISS Live Now has 6.6K ratings behind it against 86, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of NASA Visualization Explorer's written reviews are positive against 88% of ISS Live Now's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NASA Visualization Explorer ships an update every 3 months, ISS Live Now every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
NASA Visualization Explorer versus ISS Live Now: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNASA Visualization ExplorerISS Live Now
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (86 ratings)4.6 (6.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.7% of reviews87.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings866.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS6.1 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB93 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNASACarlos Santos

Customer experience

NASA Visualization Explorer

All ratings86 ratings
Positive51.2%
Neutral11.6%
Negative37.2%
Written reviews211 reviews
Positive50.7%
Neutral11.4%
Negative37.9%

ISS Live Now

All ratings6,570 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral3.2%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews1,817 reviews
Positive87.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative7.9%

User reviews

NASA Visualization Explorer

From 86 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Stunning visuals
  • 🔍 Informative content
  • 👍 Easy to navigate
  • 🤓 Great for science enthusiasts

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes
  • ⏱️ Slow loading times
  • 🔒 Requires account sign-in
  • 💤 Lack of new content updates

ISS Live Now

From 6.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Exceptional program
  • 🚀 Excellent
  • 🚀 Fascinating!
  • 🚀 Educational
  • 🚀 Great fun

Room to improve

  • 🐛 It is not working
  • 🐛 Maybe I'm getting old
  • 🐛 Good app...but inappropriate ads for a family app.
  • 🐛 Cameras seem to be down a lot.
  • 🐛 More earth less space station !!!

Bugs and requests

NASA Visualization Explorer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Freezing on tutorial screen
  • Incompatibility with iOS 10+
  • Video playback issues
  • Unreliable server connectivity

Requested features

4 requests
  • Offline content viewing
  • Interactive data visualizations
  • Support for older devices
  • Customizable notification settings

ISS Live Now

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Map is not working!
  • Live feed cuts when strange things happen
  • No camera available
  • Constant loss of connection
  • Camera quality issues
Show 2 more
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices

Requested features

9 requests
  • More live cameras please
  • Add zoom in function
  • Add more map options
  • Add ability to save stills or videos
  • Add captions for the videos
Show 4 more
  • Add more angles of the space station
  • Add ability to watch spacewalks
  • Add dark mode option
  • Add advanced analytics dashboard

In-app purchases

None

NASA Visualization Explorer

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ISS Live Now

One-time1
  • Remove ads$2.99

Questions

Is NASA Visualization Explorer free?
NASA Visualization Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ISS Live Now free?
ISS Live Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NASA Visualization Explorer or ISS Live Now?
ISS Live Now is rated higher. NASA Visualization Explorer averages 3.3 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while ISS Live Now averages 4.6 from 6.6K ratings.
Do NASA Visualization Explorer or ISS Live Now have ads?
ISS Live Now shows ads; NASA Visualization Explorer does not.
Which is updated more often, NASA Visualization Explorer or ISS Live Now?
NASA Visualization Explorer ships an update every 3 months, and ISS Live Now every 3 weeks. Most recently, NASA Visualization Explorer was updated on October 15, 2026 and ISS Live Now on October 16, 2026.

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