# Solar System Sim vs Galactic Drift

The clearest difference is rating: Galactic Drift at 5.0 against Solar System Sim's 4.5. Galactic Drift also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Solar System Sim's advantage is ratings volume (4.4K vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Solar System Sim sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Galactic Drift sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Galactic Drift holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Solar System Sim has 4.4K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Solar System Sim ships an update every 5 days, Galactic Drift every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Solar System Sim | Galactic Drift |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-sim/id6447612221/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-drift/id6762582482/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.4K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 80.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 522 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [WPC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1681830786) | [ByteLathe LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894411318) |

## What reviewers say

### Solar System Sim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-sim/id6447612221)

Simulate and explore celestial bodies within our solar system and beyond. Create your own solar systems, experiment with gravity and physics, and observe orbital mechanics in action.

**Highlights:** Explore planets and moons, Visit nearby stars, Create custom solar systems, Gravity and physics simulation, Recalculate orbits, Newton's laws implementation

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HD Mars | $2.99 | one-time |
| HD Earth | $2.99 | one-time |
| HD Moon | $2.99 | one-time |
| No-ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| HD 3-body pack | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Realistic simulation
- 🚀 Detailed solar system
- 🚀 Ability to create custom solar systems
- 🚀 Impressive graphics
- 🚀 Frequent updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Saving and loading issues
- 🐛 Unstable orbits

**Reported bugs**

- Planets/moons disappearing after saving and loading
- Bright flashes and screen distortions
- Planets/objects getting stuck inside stars
- Crashes when colliding or editing certain objects
- Inconsistent orbital mechanics and moons ejecting from planets

**Requested features**

- Add more galaxy and nebula textures
- Implement realistic supernova effects
- Allow customization of planet atmospheres and terrain
- Add binary star systems and rogue planets
- Introduce a galaxy maker and collision feature


### Galactic Drift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-drift/id6762582482)

Plot intricate journeys through a gravity-simulated cosmos. Launch your craft, utilizing celestial bodies to achieve maximum distance and discover unique trajectories. Compete on global leaderboards and challenge friends in daily cosmic puzzles.

**Highlights:** Gravity-bent cosmos simulation, Strategic angle and thrust control, Celestial body interaction, Global leaderboards, Daily challenges, 25 hand-crafted levels, Real-time n-body gravity simulation

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 Navigator Hints | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full Game - Special Offer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Cosmetics Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 25 Navigator Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Galactic Drift Full Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Supporter Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Stellar Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Solar System Sim free?

Solar System Sim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Galactic Drift free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Solar System Sim or Galactic Drift?

Galactic Drift is rated higher. Solar System Sim averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4.4K ratings, while Galactic Drift averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Solar System Sim or Galactic Drift have ads?

Solar System Sim shows ads; Galactic Drift does not.

### Which is updated more often, Solar System Sim or Galactic Drift?

Solar System Sim ships an update every 5 days, and Galactic Drift every 6 days. Most recently, Solar System Sim was updated on October 30, 2026 and Galactic Drift on October 28, 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.*