Comparison

Planets AR vs Solar Explorer 3D

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

Head to head
About

Planets AR

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
Read full description

Planets AR is like a spaceship that takes you on a magical journey through our incredible solar system! You'll meet all the planets, moons, and even some mysterious dwarf planets, as if you're an astronaut in outer space! But, this isn't just any ordinary journey! With our app's incredible Augmented Reality technology, you'll be able to see them right in front of your eyes, even in low-light conditions, making it an unforgettable experience! And if you prefer stargazing, you can even see them in the night sky with night mode. You can be amazed to learn that Saturn's rings were made up of ice particles and that Pluto was a dwarf planet that used to be classified as the ninth planet, as well as its history and significance in our understanding of the universe. Learning about the cosmos will become fun and easy. With just a few taps, you can snap a picture of the planets. Imagine the looks of admiration from your teacher and classmates as you present stunning, lifelike pictures for your school projects and homework. This incredible augmented reality app will elevate your work to new heights, making you the star of the classroom. But that's not all, our app is more than that - it's also a teacher! Each planet speaks its name and tells you about itself, so you can learn amazing facts and see detailed information about each planet, dwarf planet, and moon. And don't worry, you won't be alone on this journey - our Talking Planets will guide you every step of the way! So, if you're ready to blast off on an adventure to explore the wonders of our solar system, our app is the perfect spaceship for you! You'll have a blast while learning about the incredible universe that surrounds us. Discover the wonders of space through: - The Sun and our Solar System, which includes eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. - Dwarf planets, such as Pluto, Ceres, Makemake, Haumea, and Eris may be small in size but are big in intrigue. - Moons, including Earth's Moon, Europa, Ganymede, Io, Callisto, Titan, Enceladus, Iapetus, Triton, and Charon, which each have their own unique features and secrets. Planet Control Made Easy: - Explore the solar system with intuitive and user-friendly controls! - Swipe your finger to rotate the planets, and drag them to move them around in the room. - Use your two fingers to pinch in and out to make the planets bigger or smaller. - With these simple controls, you can become a space explorer in no time! What People Are Saying: - "Great app for kids! Easy and interactive way of learning (though I wish they had such beautiful tech earlier)..." - Mona - "I really like the game, I can move the planets when I touch them and it seems that you have the real planets next to it." - Salvador Gonzalez Janeiro - "It is a really cool app. I like how you can see how long a year and day is. Who ever made this app thank you." - Morgan Sisk - "Excellent, this sort of thing is hard to find.." - NVB9 Connect with us: - Visit us at https://planetsar.agrmayank.com/ or check out our other apps at https://studios.agrmayank.com/. - Have any questions or suggestions? Reach out at contact@agrmayank.com and we'll be happy to help. - Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AgrMayankStudios, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/agrmayankstudios/, Twitter at https://twitter.com/AgrMayankStudio/, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrmayankstudios/ to stay up to date.

About

Solar Explorer 3D

Explore the solar system with a realistic 3D simulation. Discover celestial bodies, spacecraft, and surface features with detailed models and orbital mechanics. Compare sizes, replay missions, and view the universe from different perspectives.

Highlights
  • Realistic 3D solar system simulation
  • Detailed celestial body and spacecraft models
  • Size comparison of planets and moons
  • Surface feature exploration
  • Mission replay functionality
  • Time acceleration and reversal
Features
Read full description

Embark on an immersive journey through the solar system! Solar Explorer brings the solar system to life with a stunning 3D simulation based on real astronomical data, featuring 60+ celestial bodies and spacecraft. Experience the grandeur and mysteries of the universe in the palm of your hand. Key Features • Realistic Simulation – Explore the orbits of celestial bodies and spacecraft, along with the rotation of planets and moons, in an immersive 3D simulation. • Close-Up View – Observe surfaces and rotation up close, follow moons around their parent planets, and examine detailed 3D spacecraft models. • Size Comparison – Compare the Sun, planets, dwarf planets, and major moons side by side at true scale to appreciate the differences in size between celestial bodies. • Landing View – View a realistic starry sky and the Milky Way from selected surface locations on different celestial bodies. • Time Acceleration – Speed up time or run it backward to explore how celestial bodies and spacecraft move. • Mission Replay – Replay selected space missions with trajectory overviews and close-ups of key events. • Surface Features – Zoom in to discover surface features and place names on the Moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies. Professional-Grade Experience • Planet, moon, and spacecraft positions are calculated using astronomical data and celestial mechanics, with information panel data updated to match the simulation time. • Inspect high-resolution surface textures up close and discover the varied landscapes of planets and moons. • Examine detailed 3D spacecraft models, including all five probes that have traveled beyond Neptune’s orbit, and track their speed and distance from Earth as simulation time changes. • Discover historic landing sites on the Moon, Mars, Venus, and other worlds, with details about landers and surface features. • Landing view uses celestial mechanics and viewing geometry to recreate the local sky and celestial motion, reflecting effects such as the Moon’s tidal locking and Venus’s retrograde rotation. • The Earth-Moon view extends to the Sun-Earth Lagrange points L1 and L2, with orbital paths for space telescopes such as JWST, Roman, and Euclid. • Enjoy detailed planetary rings, the Sun’s corona and glow, and sweeping views of the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt, along with shadows and transits. Intuitive Controls • Tap a celestial body or its name label to enter close-up view, or browse celestial bodies and spacecraft in the catalog. • Drag with one finger to rotate the view, and pinch with two fingers to zoom. • In close-up view, use the location picker to choose a target landing site. On Earth, you can also use your current location. • Adjust the speed and direction of time in orbit view, close-up view, and landing view to observe rotation and orbital motion. Whether you’re an astronomy enthusiast, an educator, or a curious explorer, Solar Explorer opens a gateway to the mysteries of the universe. Download now and begin your space adventure!

Screenshots

Planets AR4 screens
Solar Explorer 3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Planets AR at 100% against Solar Explorer 3D's 50%. Planets AR also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Solar Explorer 3D's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Planets AR sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Solar Explorer 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Solar Explorer 3D holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 25 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Planets AR's written reviews are positive against 50% of Solar Explorer 3D's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Planets AR ships an update daily, Solar Explorer 3D every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Planets AR versus Solar Explorer 3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlanets ARSolar Explorer 3D
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (6 ratings)4.2 (25 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings625 — better
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size343 MB838 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMayank RajShenzhen Qizhuan Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Planets AR

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Solar Explorer 3D

All ratings25 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative16.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Planets AR

One-time2
  • Remove Watermark$0.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
1 purchases

Solar Explorer 3D

One-time1
  • Premium Edition$3.99

Questions

Is Planets AR free?
Planets AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Solar Explorer 3D free?
Solar Explorer 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Planets AR or Solar Explorer 3D?
Solar Explorer 3D is rated higher. Planets AR averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Solar Explorer 3D averages 4.2 from 25 ratings.
Do Planets AR or Solar Explorer 3D have ads?
Planets AR shows ads; Solar Explorer 3D does not.
Which is updated more often, Planets AR or Solar Explorer 3D?
Planets AR ships an update daily, and Solar Explorer 3D every 3 weeks. Most recently, Planets AR was updated on October 20, 2026 and Solar Explorer 3D on October 30, 2026.

Other comparisons