# SOS Remote vs Merge Object Viewer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SOS Remote at 100% against Merge Object Viewer's 48%. SOS Remote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Merge Object Viewer's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (390 vs 3). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merge Object Viewer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. SOS Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.

SOS Remote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merge Object Viewer has 390 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of SOS Remote's written reviews are positive against 48% of Merge Object Viewer's.

SOS Remote ships an update every 8 months, Merge Object Viewer monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SOS Remote | Merge Object Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sos-remote/id476665630/reviews)** | [4.5 (390 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-object-viewer/id1367544362/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **390** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 47.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 414 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NOAA Science On a Sphere](https://appshunter.io/developer/476665633) | [Merge Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1253049593) |

## What reviewers say

### SOS Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sos-remote/id476665630)

Control a Science On a Sphere® system with your mobile device. Adjust sphere orientation, manage datasets, and enhance presentations with interactive features. Ideal for educational settings.

**Highlights:** Adjust sphere orientation, Control dataset playback, Load presentation playlists, Search and browse data catalog, View dataset descriptions, Create presentation playlists, Draw on and zoom datasets, Dynamically adjust dataset layers

**In-app purchases:** none


### Merge Object Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-object-viewer/id1367544362)

Explore hundreds of 3D digital teaching aids with this app. Students can interact with models of rocks, mammals, cells, and more. The app also allows users to upload and view their own 3D objects on a compatible device.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of 3D teaching aids, Interactive 3D models, Learn about science and biology, Upload and view custom 3D objects, Hands-on digital learning

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Object Viewer Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Merge EDU Individual | $9.99 | per month |
| Object Viewer Premium Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Merge EDU Individual | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Engaging AR STEM tool
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Seamless object merging
- 👍 Extensive file format support
- 👍 Convenient sharing options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Slow rendering/loading
- 🐛 Compatibility issues on older devices
- 🔒 Paywall for full access
- 🐛 Unstable login/account management

**Reported bugs**

- Objects not loading or displaying incorrectly
- App freezing or closing unexpectedly
- Labeling/annotation issues with 3D objects
- Compatibility problems on iPads and older iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Adjustable lighting for 3D objects
- Ability to snap objects together
- Camera button for capturing scenes
- Restore VR support
- More free 3D content options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SOS Remote free?

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

### Is Merge Object Viewer free?

Merge Object Viewer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SOS Remote or Merge Object Viewer?

SOS Remote is rated higher. SOS Remote averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Merge Object Viewer averages 4.5 from 390 ratings.

### Do SOS Remote or Merge Object Viewer have ads?

Neither SOS Remote nor Merge Object Viewer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SOS Remote or Merge Object Viewer?

SOS Remote ships an update every 8 months, and Merge Object Viewer monthly. Most recently, SOS Remote was updated on November 1, 2026 and Merge Object Viewer on November 2, 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.*