# NASA Visualization Explorer vs Earth

The clearest difference is rating: Earth at 4.6 against NASA Visualization Explorer's 3.3. Earth also leads on review sentiment (74% vs 51%). NASA Visualization Explorer's advantage is iOS requirement (6.1 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Earth holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of NASA Visualization Explorer's written reviews are positive against 74% of Earth's.

NASA Visualization Explorer ships an update every 3 months, Earth every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA Visualization Explorer | Earth |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa-visualization-explorer/id448700202/reviews) | **[4.6 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-now/id494633346/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **86** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | 50.7% of reviews | **73.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 181 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Jet Propulsion Laboratory](https://appshunter.io/developer/347075767) |

## What reviewers say

### NASA Visualization Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa-visualization-explorer/id448700202)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Offline content viewing
- Interactive data visualizations
- Support for older devices
- Customizable notification settings


### Earth

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-now/id494633346)

Visualize global climate data from NASA satellites, including temperature, CO2, and sea level. Explore 3D Earth models with interactive controls and color-coded maps to understand environmental conditions.

**Highlights:** Global climate data visualization, Satellite data from Earth Science, Surface air temperature maps, CO2 and CO levels, Ozone and water vapor data, Gravity and sea level variations, Interactive 3D Earth model

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌍 Real-time Earth data visualization
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy navigation
- 🎨 Beautiful and mesmerizing graphics
- 📊 Comprehensive satellite data from NASA/JPL
- 🆓 Free access to scientific information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes on older devices
- ⏳ Slow loading times on poor internet
- 🔍 Difficult to understand without scientific background
- 🗺️ Antarctica and polar regions blacked out/missing
- 📐 Zooming and scrolling too sensitive

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or during use
- Endless 'Loading model' message
- Crashes on iPhone 4 and older devices
- Pixel doubler requirement on iPad
- No landscape orientation support

**Requested features**

- Celsius/Kelvin temperature unit options
- Satellite information (height, launch date)
- ISS tracking capability
- Ocean current visualization
- Ice sheet data layers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA Visualization Explorer free?

NASA Visualization Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Earth free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NASA Visualization Explorer or Earth?

Earth is rated higher. NASA Visualization Explorer averages 3.3 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Earth averages 4.6 from 42 ratings.

### Do NASA Visualization Explorer or Earth have ads?

Neither NASA Visualization Explorer nor Earth shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NASA Visualization Explorer or Earth?

NASA Visualization Explorer ships an update every 3 months, and Earth every 4 months. Most recently, NASA Visualization Explorer was updated on October 13, 2026 and Earth on October 11, 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.*