# Sol Explorer vs Galaxy Map

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sol Explorer at none against Galaxy Map's 13. Sol Explorer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Galaxy Map's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 171 months) and ratings volume (609 vs 6). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Sol Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sol Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 609 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Sol Explorer's written reviews are positive against 80% of Galaxy Map's.

Sol Explorer ships an update every 171 months, Galaxy Map monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sol Explorer | Galaxy Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sol-explorer/id556558274/reviews)** | [4.6 (609 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **609** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 79.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 171 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 347 MB | 601 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reason Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/333333690) | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) |

## What reviewers say

### Sol Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sol-explorer/id556558274)

Experience our Solar System from a first-person perspective in your own spaceship. Explore planets, moons, and space probes, traveling billions of miles across the cosmos. Learn about over 40 celestial objects and gain new perspectives on Earth and beyond.

**Highlights:** First-person spaceship exploration, Travel across the entire Solar System, Learn about 40+ celestial objects, Explore planets, moons, and probes, View from the edge of interstellar space, Size comparison videos

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

Explore the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in an interactive 3D map. Discover nebulae, supernovae, and planets, with stunning visuals based on NASA data. Ideal for education and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D galaxy map, Explore nebulae and supernovae, Fly through planetary atmospheres, Land on planets, Based on NASA data, Available in 100+ languages

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Explore button shows nothing
- Pinch-to-zoom doesn't work
- App won't load on iPad
- Text displays as boxes in language settings

**Requested features**

- Search button to find galaxies and objects
- More diverse and realistic black hole designs
- AR feature to identify stars/planets in real sky
- More free content and objects
- Exoplanet additions (TRAPPIST-1e, J1407B)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sol Explorer free?

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

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sol Explorer or Galaxy Map?

Sol Explorer is rated higher. Sol Explorer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Galaxy Map averages 4.6 from 609 ratings.

### Do Sol Explorer or Galaxy Map have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Sol Explorer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sol Explorer or Galaxy Map?

Sol Explorer ships an update every 171 months, and Galaxy Map monthly. Most recently, Sol Explorer was updated on October 7, 2026 and Galaxy Map on October 12, 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.*