Comparison

Space Simulator vs Space Rocket Exploration

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Space Simulator

Experience ultra-realistic 3D space flight with real physics in a full-scale Solar System. Play historic NASA missions or explore planets and moons with functional 3D cockpits and interactive orbit planning.

Highlights
  • Full-scale Solar System simulation
  • Historic NASA mission replays
  • Functional 3D cockpits
  • Interactive orbit planner
  • Real physics engine
  • Ultra-realistic rendering
Features
Read full description

Space Simulator is an ultra realistic 3D space flight simulation game running real physics in a full-scale Solar System with unrivaled rendering and graphics. PLAY historic NASA missions of the Apollo Moon Program, Space Shuttle flights, Project Gemini, X-15 Hypersonic Plane and free flight missions to explore all planets and major moons of the Solar System. LAUNCH from Kennedy Space Center, orbit the Earth and Moon, dock with ISS, perform Trans Lunar Injections, land on the Moon, practise rendezvous and return home with reentry and splashdown. PLAN complex interplanetary orbits, operate flight computers, use onboard switches, instruments and displays, experience the full challenges of space flight and unleash the astronaut within! key features: • Custom missions to explore all planets and major moons in Solar System • Spaceships have 3D cockpits with functional controls and instruments • Original audio footage on selected missions • Interactive orbit planner to easily visualize, create and modify complex interplanetary orbits • Space Simulator uses real gravitational forces, distances and velocities based on a physics engine especially created for this app running on the GPU • Ultra realistic rendering engine for the Earth and Moon with high resolution surfaces and atmosphere using a new metal-based graphics engine for unprecedented realism at maximum possible framerate • The Apollo computers are emulated running actual code from the 1960s • Configurable window-based UI allowing customization of the interface to suit your preferences • Configuration options to customize difficulty and gameplay according to your device capabilities

About

Space Rocket Exploration

Build and launch custom rockets to explore planets and moons in our solar system. Construct a space station with unlimited potential and deploy various satellites. Experience realistic space physics and astonishing graphics.

Highlights
  • Build custom rockets
  • Explore solar system planets and moons
  • Construct unlimited space stations
  • Launch and control satellites
  • Realistic space physics simulation
  • Astonishing graphics
Features
Read full description

Space Rocket Exploration gives you the ability to feel the exctiment of traveling to space and exploring planets like you never have felt and seen before. The game has astonishing graphics and physics that simulate space how it's in the real life! First part of the game is where you have to build your own rocket and launch it in the launch area! There are three stages: small stages, medium stages and larg stages. You can combine all parts of different size and make a big rocket that you can travel and discover planets further and further. Most interesting part of the game is the ability to build a Space Station in space by attaching every single part that you bring from earth. Size of Space Station is unlimited you can also add controllers to make it controllable. Satellite is another object that you can launch in space. You have many different satellites. The Game has all planets with their moons that exist in our solar system which all of them have different characteristics. Now is time for you to try it!

Screenshots

Space Simulator4 screens
Space Rocket Exploration4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Space Rocket Exploration at Free against Space Simulator's $4.99. Space Rocket Exploration also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Space Simulator's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Space Rocket Exploration is free to download; Space Simulator costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Space Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Space Simulator has 4.3K ratings behind it against 313, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Space Simulator's written reviews are positive against 69% of Space Rocket Exploration's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Space Simulator ships an update every 5 months, Space Rocket Exploration monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Space Simulator versus Space Rocket Exploration: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpace SimulatorSpace Rocket Exploration
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (4.3K ratings) — better3.7 (313 ratings)
Positive reviews83.5% of reviews — better69.3% of reviews
Number of ratings4.3K — better313
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.5 GB216 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTai ChenGenc Sadiku

Customer experience

Space Simulator

All ratings4,281 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews315 reviews
Positive83.5%
Neutral3.5%
Negative13.0%

Space Rocket Exploration

All ratings313 ratings
Positive65.8%
Neutral8.6%
Negative25.6%
Written reviews270 reviews
Positive69.3%
Neutral10.7%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

Space Simulator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Space Rocket Exploration

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Rockets exploding on launch
  • Satellites randomly exploding in orbit
  • Inability to remove space station parts
  • Orbit lines not showing correctly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add landing on planets
  • Improve space station building
  • Introduce more rocket parts
  • Add astronaut and EVA functionality
  • Implement interplanetary travel

In-app purchases

None

Space Simulator

No in-app purchases

None

Space Rocket Exploration

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Space Simulator free?
Space Simulator costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Space Rocket Exploration free?
Space Rocket Exploration is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Space Simulator or Space Rocket Exploration?
Space Simulator is rated higher. Space Simulator averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Space Rocket Exploration averages 3.7 from 313 ratings.
Do Space Simulator or Space Rocket Exploration have ads?
Space Rocket Exploration shows ads; Space Simulator does not.
Which is updated more often, Space Simulator or Space Rocket Exploration?
Space Simulator ships an update every 5 months, and Space Rocket Exploration monthly. Most recently, Space Simulator was updated on September 23, 2026 and Space Rocket Exploration on September 24, 2026.

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