# Space Agency vs Ellipse

The clearest difference is price: Ellipse at Free against Space Agency's $1.99. Ellipse also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). Space Agency's advantage is chart position (#196 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Ellipse is free to download; Space Agency costs $1.99 up front. Space Agency sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Ellipse sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ellipse holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 740 and 2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Space Agency's written reviews are positive against 77% of Ellipse's.

Space Agency ships an update every 2 months, Ellipse monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Agency | Ellipse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (740 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-agency/id542397575/reviews) | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ellipse-rocket-simulator/id6738509541/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 740 | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | 75.3% of reviews | **77.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#196** | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 245 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nooleus](https://appshunter.io/developer/425879096) | [Starwelds](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895565220) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Agency

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-agency/id542397575)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Design, construct, and launch your own rockets and satellites. Build a space station and explore the solar system in this challenging simulation game for aspiring astronauts.

**Highlights:** Build rockets, Launch satellites, Create a space station, Explore the solar system, Challenging gameplay

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mission 02 Skip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mission 12 Skip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mission 15 Skip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mission 16 Skip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Transponder Module | $0.99 | one-time |
| 50 Quick Launches | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Quick Launches | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nooleus X Parts Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Mission Free Unlock-All | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sandbox Unlock All Parts | $7.99 | one-time |
| Sandbox Unlock Standard Parts | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Challenging and fun gameplay
- 👍 Great value for money
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay and controls
- 🚀 Addictive and engaging
- 👍 Realistic space simulation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Limited parts and features in sandbox mode
- 🔒 Microtransactions for additional content
- 🐛 Difficulty with certain missions
- 🔒 Lack of updates and new content

**Reported bugs**

- Sandbox mode parts not unlocking properly
- Crashes and freezes during gameplay
- Inability to restore purchased content
- Glitches with certain rocket and station designs
- Inconsistent performance on different devices

**Requested features**

- Add space shuttle functionality
- Introduce astronauts and crew management
- Expand the solar system with more planets and moons
- Implement a more realistic orbital mechanics system
- Add multiplayer and co-op capabilities


### Ellipse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ellipse-rocket-simulator/id6738509541)

Design, build, and launch rockets with realistic orbital mechanics. Explore celestial bodies and experience dynamic physics for a true-to-life space simulation. Ideal for aspiring engineers and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Rocket design and customization, Realistic orbital mechanics, Explore celestial bodies, Dynamic physics engine, Space exploration simulation

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Large Parts | $2.99 | one-time |
| Heavy Lift Program | $4.99 | one-time |
| Expansion | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Realistic simulation
- 👍 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Good graphics
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Inspires interest in spaceflight

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No delete button
- 🐛 Physics issues
- 🐛 Unrealistic re-entry
- 🐛 Laggy performance
- 🐛 Difficult to control rockets

**Reported bugs**

- Connected parts don't work
- Staging issues (last stage goes first)
- Fairings don't attach
- Cannot delete after spawning samples
- Detached parts don't detach

**Requested features**

- Add more planets
- Add astronauts
- Add a delete button
- Add more parts (solar panel, battery, antenna, wing, landing leg, chassis, monopropellant tank, docking port)
- Add electricity consumption


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Agency free?

Space Agency costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Ellipse free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Space Agency or Ellipse?

Ellipse is rated higher. Space Agency averages 4.4 out of 5 from 740 ratings, while Ellipse averages 4.7 from 2K ratings.

### Do Space Agency or Ellipse have ads?

Neither Space Agency nor Ellipse shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Agency or Ellipse?

Space Agency ships an update every 2 months, and Ellipse monthly. Most recently, Space Agency was updated on September 26, 2026 and Ellipse on September 25, 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.*