# Space Gate vs karnal.app

The clearest difference is price: karnal.app at Free against Space Gate's $12.99. karnal.app also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). Space Gate's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

karnal.app is free to download; Space Gate costs $12.99 up front. Space Gate sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. karnal.app asks for nothing beyond the download.

Space Gate ships an update weekly, karnal.app fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Gate | karnal.app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (201 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-gate-ar-solar-system/id6474214531/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **201** | — |
| Positive reviews | 85.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 156 MB | 289 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Ali Samaei](https://appshunter.io/developer/1721049950) | [Jose Ramon Perez Athie](https://appshunter.io/developer/1754202834) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Gate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-gate-ar-solar-system/id6474214531)

Explore the universe with interactive 3D and AR experiences of the solar system. Discover celestial bodies, engage with live astronomy news, and even interact with black holes. Tailored for learning and education.

**Highlights:** 3D and AR solar system exploration, Interactive black hole simulations, Live astronomy magazine, Educational celestial catalogs, Capture and save celestial snapshots

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $6.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Subscription | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Stunning 3D graphics and visual quality
- 🌍 Immersive AR experience for exploring planets
- 📚 Comprehensive educational content about space
- 🎓 Excellent tool for teachers and students
- 📸 Screenshot/snapshot capture functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Misleading free-to-play pricing model
- 🔒 Unexpected in-app purchase charges
- 🎮 Unintuitive navigation and UI
- 🐛 Orbital mechanics inaccuracies
- 🌙 Moon tidal locking not correctly simulated

**Reported bugs**

- Moon not tidally locked to Earth
- Moon orbiting Earth in wrong direction
- Planets orbiting sun in opposing/incorrect directions
- Uranus moons glitched
- Venus orbital speed faster than Mercury

**Requested features**

- Ability to set any planet as immobile center point
- More free planets without paywall
- Additional galaxies beyond solar system
- Toggle for planet/moon/star name labels
- Time-lapse function with variable speeds


### karnal.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/karnalapp/id6504881854)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Gate free?

Space Gate costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is karnal.app free?

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

### Do Space Gate or karnal.app have ads?

Neither Space Gate nor karnal.app shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Gate or karnal.app?

Space Gate ships an update weekly, and karnal.app fortnightly. Most recently, Space Gate was updated on October 21, 2026 and karnal.app on October 19, 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.*