# Back in Time for iPhone vs Universe in a Nutshell

The clearest difference is rating: Universe in a Nutshell at 4.9 against Back in Time for iPhone's 3.8. Universe in a Nutshell also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 16). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Back in Time for iPhone costs $4.99 and Universe in a Nutshell $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Universe in a Nutshell holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universe in a Nutshell has 2.5K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Back in Time for iPhone's written reviews are positive against 89% of Universe in a Nutshell's.

Back in Time for iPhone ships an update every 8 months, Universe in a Nutshell every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Back in Time for iPhone | Universe in a Nutshell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [3.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/back-in-time-for-iphone/id483148811/reviews) | **[4.9 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-in-a-nutshell/id1526364758/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 71.7% of reviews | **89.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 625 MB | 320 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Landka](https://appshunter.io/developer/450345696) | [in a nutshell - kurzgesagt GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526364760) |

## What reviewers say

### Back in Time for iPhone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/back-in-time-for-iphone/id483148811)

Explore the history of the universe, Earth, life, and civilization through interactive timelines, stunning visuals, and custom animations. This app offers an immersive learning experience with social and historical context for key events.

**Highlights:** Interactive timelines, Over 350 images, 60+ animations and videos, 200+ interesting facts, Offline access, Multilingual support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Universe in a Nutshell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-in-a-nutshell/id1526364758)

Explore the vastness of the universe, from subatomic particles to distant galaxies, through an interactive, swipe-based journey. Understand true scale by comparing objects and discover fascinating facts about over 250 animated illustrations. Immerse yourself in the cosmos with original music.

**Highlights:** Interactive scale exploration, Seamless zooming from 10^-35m to 10^26m, Fun facts about objects, Explanations for each object, Over 250 animated illustrations, Original music soundtrack

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fascinating and educational
- 🎨 Beautiful artwork and animations
- 🎶 Relaxing background music
- 📚 Comprehensive information on a wide range of topics
- 🔍 Intuitive and easy to navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on some devices, especially older iPhones
- 🔍 Difficulty comparing sizes of objects due to positioning
- 🕹️ Laggy animations and transitions on some devices
- 🌐 Lack of offline functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch for some users
- Overlapping hit boxes make it difficult to select certain objects

**Requested features**

- Add more objects to explore (e.g. Uranus, Eris, more moons, etc.)
- Implement a search function to quickly find specific objects
- Add the ability to compare multiple objects side-by-side
- Include more in-depth scientific information and facts
- Provide an option to have the descriptions read aloud


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Back in Time for iPhone free?

Back in Time for iPhone costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Universe in a Nutshell free?

Universe in a Nutshell costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Back in Time for iPhone or Universe in a Nutshell?

Universe in a Nutshell is rated higher. Back in Time for iPhone averages 3.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Universe in a Nutshell averages 4.9 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do Back in Time for iPhone or Universe in a Nutshell have ads?

Neither Back in Time for iPhone nor Universe in a Nutshell shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Back in Time for iPhone or Universe in a Nutshell?

Back in Time for iPhone ships an update every 8 months, and Universe in a Nutshell every 4 days. Most recently, Back in Time for iPhone was updated on October 23, 2026 and Universe in a Nutshell on October 29, 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.*