# ESA cryosat vs Celestia

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ESA cryosat at none against Celestia's 4. ESA cryosat also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). Celestia's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (79% vs 50%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Celestia sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. ESA cryosat asks for nothing beyond the download.

ESA cryosat ships an update every 6 months, Celestia fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESA cryosat | Celestia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (339 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **339** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 115 MB | 550 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ESA - European Space Agency](https://appshunter.io/developer/429660009) | [林峰 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1186547508) |

## What reviewers say

### ESA cryosat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esa-cryosat/id484020380)

Explore a comprehensive overview of a European Space Agency ice mission, including its unique space and ground segments. Discover real mission measurements, visualize data on a world map, and interact with a 3D satellite model.

**Highlights:** CryoSat mission description, Photos and videos, Mission news updates, Interactive 3D satellite model, World map with orbit position, Visualization of real measurements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Celestia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829)

Explore the universe in real-time 3D. Visit planets, moons, star clusters, and galaxies, viewing them from any point in space and time. Customize your experience with expandable content and detailed simulations.

**Highlights:** Real-time 3D space visualization, Explore planets, moons, stars, galaxies, Accurate solar system object positions, Interactive planetarium mode, Expandable content with add-ons, Customizable celestial databases

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Celestia PLUS (Weekly) | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Celestia PLUS (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Celestia PLUS (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Celestia PLUS (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Realistic space simulation
- 🌌 Ability to explore galaxies and star systems
- 🔍 Detailed planet and moon textures
- 📷 Great for taking screenshots
- 🤖 Reminds users of Space Engine

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🌌 Limited exploration beyond Milky Way and Andromeda
- 🌍 Flat terrain on planets
- 🔍 Lack of detail on some celestial objects
- 🔒 Paywall for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Milky Way and other galaxy textures not loading properly
- Crashes when using certain add-ons
- Issues with planet and moon orbits not being accurate

**Requested features**

- Add more exoplanets and distant star systems
- Implement terrain generation for planets
- Expand to include more galaxies and the overall universe structure
- Add support for black holes, pulsars, and other exotic objects
- Improve controls and camera movement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESA cryosat free?

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

### Is Celestia free?

Celestia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do ESA cryosat or Celestia have ads?

Neither ESA cryosat nor Celestia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ESA cryosat or Celestia?

ESA cryosat ships an update every 6 months, and Celestia fortnightly. Most recently, ESA cryosat was updated on October 25, 2026 and Celestia 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.*