# Sol Explorer vs IFR Flight Simulator

The clearest difference is rating: Sol Explorer at 5.0 against IFR Flight Simulator's 4.3. Sol Explorer also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 65%) and in-app purchases (none vs 9). IFR Flight Simulator's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 86 months) and ratings volume (107 vs 6). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IFR Flight Simulator sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Sol Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sol Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IFR Flight Simulator has 107 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 65% of IFR Flight Simulator's.

Sol Explorer ships an update every 86 months, IFR Flight Simulator every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sol Explorer | IFR Flight Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sol-explorer/id556558274/reviews)** | [4.3 (107 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifr-flight-simulator/id6444241915/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **107** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 64.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 86 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 268 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reason Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/333333690) | [Tobias Maihoff](https://appshunter.io/developer/1653306504) |

## 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


### IFR Flight Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifr-flight-simulator/id6444241915)

This aviation simulator helps pilots master IFR procedures and prepare for instrument ratings. Practice holdings, intercepts, and approaches with realistic flight simulation and navigation tools on your phone. Ideal for student and experienced pilots seeking convenient, effective training.

**Highlights:** Realistic aviation training, Worldwide flight navigation database, Comprehensive training modes, Real-time flight simulator, Integrated autopilot, Optimal holding entry path overlay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Full Access | $59.99 | per year |
| Full Access | $79.99 | per year |
| SALE % Pro \| One-Time Purchase | $49.99 | one-time |
| SALE % Pro \| One-Time Purchase | $84.99 | one-time |
| Pro Access \| One-Time Purchase | $169.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sol Explorer free?

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

### Is IFR Flight Simulator free?

IFR Flight Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sol Explorer or IFR Flight Simulator?

Sol Explorer is rated higher. Sol Explorer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while IFR Flight Simulator averages 4.3 from 107 ratings.

### Do Sol Explorer or IFR Flight Simulator have ads?

Neither Sol Explorer nor IFR Flight Simulator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sol Explorer or IFR Flight Simulator?

Sol Explorer ships an update every 86 months, and IFR Flight Simulator every 5 days. Most recently, Sol Explorer was updated on October 24, 2026 and IFR Flight Simulator on October 30, 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.*