# Planets AR vs Smithsonian

The clearest difference is ads: Smithsonian at none against Planets AR's shown. Planets AR's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planets AR sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Smithsonian sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Planets AR ships an update daily, Smithsonian every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planets AR | Smithsonian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planets-ar-our-solar-system/id6483760783/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 343 MB | 285 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mayank Raj](https://appshunter.io/developer/1740256034) | [PlayDate Digital Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/652113715) |

## What reviewers say

### Planets AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planets-ar-our-solar-system/id6483760783)

Explore our solar system with an augmented reality experience. See planets, moons, and dwarf planets come to life in your room or the night sky. Learn fascinating facts and take photos for school projects.

**Highlights:** Augmented Reality solar system visualization, Interactive planet controls, Night mode for stargazing, Detailed planet information, Capture photos of celestial bodies, Talking planets for guidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Watermark | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### 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 Planets AR free?

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

### Is Smithsonian free?

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

### Do Planets AR or Smithsonian have ads?

Planets AR shows ads; Smithsonian does not.

### Which is updated more often, Planets AR or Smithsonian?

Planets AR ships an update daily, and Smithsonian every 3 months. Most recently, Planets AR was updated on October 20, 2026 and Smithsonian on October 9, 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.*