# Sol Explorer vs Earth Primer

The clearest difference is price: Sol Explorer at Free against Earth Primer's $9.99. Sol Explorer also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Earth Primer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 86 months) and ratings volume (35 vs 6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Sol Explorer is free to download; Earth Primer costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sol Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Earth Primer has 35 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 75% of Earth Primer's.

Sol Explorer ships an update every 86 months, Earth Primer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sol Explorer | Earth Primer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sol-explorer/id556558274/reviews)** | [4.7 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-primer/id956678532/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 75.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 86 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 268 MB | 185 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **7.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reason Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/333333690) | [Chaim Gingold](https://appshunter.io/developer/328361943) |

## 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


### Earth Primer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earth-primer/id956678532)

Explore Earth's geological processes through interactive play. Sculpt mountains, create volcanoes, and manipulate natural forces to understand planetary science in a fun, engaging way.

**Highlights:** Discover how Earth works through play, Control natural forces like volcanoes and tectonic plates, 20 different tools to unlock, Richly interactive geological simulations, Five chapters: Earth's Interior, Surface, Water Cycle, Biomes, and Sandbox, Sandbox mode for open-ended play

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Brilliant educational tool
- 👍 Intuitive and interactive simulations
- ✨ Stunning graphics and artful illustrations
- 🚀 Excellent for learning geology
- 🤩 Fun and engaging for all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some options grayed out in sandbox mode
- 🤔 Lacks depth in certain simulations
- 😕 Interface can be confusing for new users
- 📉 Some users find it boring after initial use
- 💰 Expensive for some users

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Grayed out options in sandbox mode on iOS 12.1.3
- 🐛 Unreadable on iPad Pro
- 🐛 Broken software on iPad Pro
- 🐛 Still not working on iPad Pro
- 🐛 Does not work on iPad Pro

**Requested features**

- Add a sandbox version for 2D earth
- Add 3D models for volcanoes
- Include simulated volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis
- Add a sandbox simulation program for these phenomena
- Add humans and animals to sandbox mode to observe civilization building and impact


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sol Explorer free?

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

### Is Earth Primer free?

Earth Primer costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sol Explorer or Earth Primer?

Sol Explorer is rated higher. Sol Explorer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Earth Primer averages 4.7 from 35 ratings.

### Do Sol Explorer or Earth Primer have ads?

Neither Sol Explorer nor Earth Primer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sol Explorer or Earth Primer?

Sol Explorer ships an update every 86 months, and Earth Primer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sol Explorer was updated on November 6, 2026 and Earth Primer on November 6, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*