# Astris vs Smithsonian

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Astris at none against Smithsonian's 2. Smithsonian's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smithsonian sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Astris asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astris | Smithsonian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 285 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ISTITUTI EDMONDO DE AMICIS SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1219261025) | [PlayDate Digital Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/652113715) |

## What reviewers say

### Astris

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astris/id6454899891)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smithsonian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smithsonian-planets/id6504839302)

Explore the solar system with interactive games and animations. Learn fascinating facts about planets, moons, and the asteroid belt. Designed for curious young minds to introduce astronomy basics.

**Highlights:** Fascinating facts about the solar system, Mini games like Space Winter Rush, Interactive activities, Educational animations, Read to Me text, Collect planet badges

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy 5 Planets | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astris free?

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

### Is Smithsonian free?

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

### Do Astris or Smithsonian have ads?

Neither Astris nor Smithsonian shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astris or Smithsonian?

Astris ships an update every 3 months, and Smithsonian every 3 months. Most recently, Astris was updated on October 6, 2026 and Smithsonian on September 22, 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.*