# Orbital Simulator vs Space Arc

The clearest difference is update cadence: Orbital Simulator at fortnightly against Space Arc's every 6 weeks. Orbital Simulator also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Orbital Simulator against 5.0 for Space Arc. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orbital Simulator has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Orbital Simulator ships an update fortnightly, Space Arc every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Orbital Simulator | Space Arc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbital-simulator-explorer/id6511195732/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-arc/id6759466047/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 247 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Renzo Macedo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403943580) | [Marc L. Melcher](https://appshunter.io/developer/371961192) |

## What reviewers say

### Orbital Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbital-simulator-explorer/id6511195732)

Explore orbital mechanics through interactive simulations and real-time solar system data. Learn about Kepler's Laws, practice orbital maneuvers, and engage in mission objectives. Ideal for students and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive orbital simulations, Kepler's Laws visualization, Orbital maneuver practice, Real-time solar system view, Customizable orbital parameters, Detailed educational content, Mission-based challenges

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Space Arc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-arc/id6759466047)

Explore celestial events with real-time data from NASA and other space agencies. Track satellites, view stunning astronomy pictures, and get personalized alerts for meteor showers, eclipses, and aurora.

**Highlights:** Real-time satellite tracking, NASA Picture of the Day, Global launch calendar, Celestial events calendar, Aurora alerts, Smart notifications, Offline event caching

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Orbital Simulator free?

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

### Is Space Arc free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Orbital Simulator or Space Arc?

Orbital Simulator and Space Arc are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Orbital Simulator or Space Arc have ads?

Both Orbital Simulator and Space Arc show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Orbital Simulator or Space Arc?

Orbital Simulator ships an update fortnightly, and Space Arc every 6 weeks. Most recently, Orbital Simulator was updated on October 22, 2026 and Space Arc on October 24, 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.*