# Earth vs ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Earth at 42 against ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples's 10. On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Earth against 4.7 for ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 42 and 10 respectively.

Earth ships an update every 4 months, ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Earth | ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-now/id494633346/reviews) | **[4.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcgis-runtime-sdk-samples/id1180714771/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **42** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 181 MB | 137 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jet Propulsion Laboratory](https://appshunter.io/developer/347075767) | [ESRI](https://appshunter.io/developer/379687933) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcgis-runtime-sdk-samples/id1180714771)

Explore interactive samples demonstrating powerful mapping and spatial analysis capabilities. View source code for each sample to learn how to integrate these features into your own applications. Covers maps, layers, feature editing, routing, analysis, and augmented reality.

**Highlights:** Interactive mapping samples, View source code, Map and scene visualization, Feature editing and geodatabases, Routing and directions, Spatial analysis, Augmented reality integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Earth free?

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

### Is ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples free?

ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Earth or ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples?

ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples is rated higher. Earth averages 4.6 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples averages 4.7 from 10 ratings.

### Do Earth or ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples have ads?

Neither Earth nor ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Earth or ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples?

Earth ships an update every 4 months, and ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples every 2 months. Most recently, Earth was updated on September 5, 2026 and ArcGIS Runtime SDK Samples on August 31, 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.*