Comparison

Real Solar System vs Heliosphere

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Real Solar System

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This solar system simulator reflects actual planetary position information. When the app is launched, the sun is positioned 20 cm in front of the device, based on the device's position. Around it, the eight main planets of the solar system and the celestial body to be observed orbit. The orbits are displayed as if they were trajectories. The position of each planet is calculated based on actual values. # Features - x] Realistic solar system with ARKit - x] Orbits of the 8 planets are displayed. - x] Planets are realistic textures imported from USDZ files. - x] Planet positions are calculated based on real values (using Horizons API) - x] The object to be observed can be changed. - x] Display of the orbit of the object of interest - x] Calculate the position of the target object based on actual values (using the Horizons API). - x] Adjustable speed (minus value for reverse rotation) - x] Zoom function (zoom in/zoom out) - x] Toggle the display of the text information and the coordinate axis (New!) ## How to use 1. when you launch the application, you will be asked for "permission to use camera" at the first startup. If you allow it, an ARKit session will start. 2. 2. a coordinate axis will be placed 20 cm in front of you, based on the device's position. 3. Tap the "Load Planet" button to load the planet model. Just wait a moment. 4. The 8 main planets of the solar system and the object to be observed will orbit around it. 5. Move the device to observe the solar system from various angles. 6. Tap the buttons at the bottom of the screen to adjust the speed and zoom. 7. You can change the object to be observed from the menu in the upper right corner of the screen. 1. Halley's Comet 2. Hayabusa2 & Ryugyu 3. Voyager 1 & 2 4. New Horizons & Pluto 5. Cassini (New!) 6. OSIRIS-REx & Bennu 7. Comparison of Circle and Ellipse 8. Geocentric theory (New!) 8. Toggle the display of the text information and the coordinate axis from the menu in the upper right corner of the screen. (New!)

About

Heliosphere

Explore a real-time 3D simulation of the solar system, planets, moons, and spacecraft using accurate astronomical data. Learn about celestial bodies and space missions with educational content and quizzes.

Highlights
  • Real-time 3D solar system simulation
  • Live spacecraft tracking
  • Deep sky exploration
  • Comprehensive astronomy education
  • Time travel from 1900 to 2100
  • Planet-centric viewing mode
Features
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Explore the solar system at your fingertips. Heliosphere is a real-time 3D solar system simulation powered by NASA JPL Horizons data. It accurately recreates the orbits of planets, moons, comets, and dwarf planets while tracking the real positions of active spacecraft. * Real-time 3D Solar System Simulation — 8 planets, 5 dwarf planets, 10+ moons, and 4 comets — Precise Keplerian orbit calculations based on real astronomical data — Time travel from 1900 to 2100 — Pan, zoom, and rotate for a free-roaming perspective — Switch to planet-centric viewing mode * Live Spacecraft Tracking — Voyager 1, 2 | Pioneer 10, 11 — Cassini | Juno | New Horizons | Parker Solar Probe — Real position data from NASA JPL Horizons API * Deep Sky Exploration — Over 150 bright stars — 530 Milky Way stars — 124 deep-sky objects (Messier, NGC/IC catalogs) * Comprehensive Astronomy Education — 6 difficulty levels from middle school to graduate — Core concepts: Kepler's Laws, gravity, escape velocity, and more — Mission timelines for Voyager, Cassini, New Horizons, and others — 60+ quiz questions to test your knowledge — Historical space event date-guessing challenges * Free for Everyone — All content available at no cost — No ads — 11 languages supported Experience the beauty of the cosmos and the wonder of science through scientifically accurate data and intuitive interaction.

Screenshots

Real Solar System4 screens
Heliosphere4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Real Solar System at none against Heliosphere's 3. Heliosphere's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Heliosphere sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Real Solar System asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Real Solar System ships an update monthly, Heliosphere every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and August 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Real Solar System versus Heliosphere: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReal Solar SystemHeliosphere
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size302 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMasaya NagaokaCHUNGKIL KIM

In-app purchases

None

Real Solar System

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Heliosphere

One-time3
  • 1 Coffee$2.99
  • 3 Coffees$8.99
  • 5 Coffees$14.99

Questions

Is Real Solar System free?
Real Solar System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Heliosphere free?
Heliosphere is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Real Solar System or Heliosphere have ads?
Neither Real Solar System nor Heliosphere shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Real Solar System or Heliosphere?
Real Solar System ships an update monthly, and Heliosphere every 3 days. Most recently, Real Solar System was updated on September 20, 2026 and Heliosphere on August 28, 2026.

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