Comparison

SimpleRockets vs Pocket Galaxy

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

Head to head
About

SimpleRockets

Design and build custom rocket ships with a variety of parts, then launch them into space to explore the solar system. Engage in challenges that test your engineering skills and learn about realistic orbital physics.

Highlights
  • Design custom rocket ships
  • Connect various parts and gizmos
  • Build rovers with wheels
  • Explore the solar system
  • Realistic orbital physics simulation
  • Engage in in-game challenges
Features
Read full description

Be sure to check our new game, SimplePlanes. Build airplanes and test them with realistic physics and see how they fly. You can find it on the App Store now or check out the website at http://www.SimplePlanes.com Design your own rocket ships. Blast off into space. Explore the solar system. See if you have what it takes to be a rocket scientist. CREATE Choose and connect parts together to build rocket ships. You can choose from a variety of rocket engines, fuel tanks, and other gizmos. You can even build rovers with powered wheels. You are only limited by your imagination. EXPLORE Blast off from any planet you want. You can fly through the intense atmosphere of Venus, or you can take advantage of the low gravity of Mercury. Whip around the sun and launch yourself out to the far reaches of the solar system. CHALLENGES Several challenges are built into the game so you can see who can go the fastest, fly the farthest, orbit with the least amount of fuel, land on the moon, and so much more. ROCKET SCIENCE Kepler wrote the equations 400 years ago, and SimpleRockets uses those equations to model extremely realistic orbital physics. Players will learn about rocket science and astrodynamics while they are having a blast exploring the solar system. This makes SimpleRockets ideal for the classroom, or as a healthy alternative to the barrage of brainless games available on the App Store.

About

Pocket Galaxy

Design and simulate your own solar systems and galaxies with realistic physics. Customize planets, stars, and orbits, then share your creations. Features smooth 3D graphics and a user-friendly interface.

Highlights
  • 3D galaxy sandbox
  • Realistic physics simulation
  • Planet and star customization
  • Smooth 3D graphics
  • User-friendly interface
  • Shareable creations
Features
Read full description

Build your own universe, then rule it like a god. Pocket Galaxy is a 3D gravity sandbox where realistic space physics meet total creative freedom. Spawn planets, stars and gas giants, place them in orbit, and watch a living solar system come to life. Then play god with it: heat worlds until they glow, freeze them solid, explode them, or smash them together in stunning destruction. Often called one of the best universe sandboxes on mobile, it's part relaxing toy, part hands-on physics playground. No levels, no timers, no pressure, just infinite space and your imagination. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Build a universe from a huge variety of procedural planets, stars and gas giants • Simulate realistic gravity and orbital motion in an open 3D sandbox • Act like a god: heat, cool, explode and smash planets to see what happens • Unlock new planet types by changing conditions across your solar system • Follow the planet journal to see how life develops on the worlds you make • Enjoy rich particles, atmospheres and destruction effects • Capture and share screenshots of your universe • Save and load your galaxies anytime RELAX, CREATE, DESTROY Nudge an orbit and let gravity take over, engineer a perfectly balanced system, or wipe it all out in a single cosmic collision. The sandbox is entirely yours. PREMIUM AND AD-FREE This is the full paid version: no ads, no in-app purchases, no interruptions. Buy once and own the complete sandbox. If you had the power, how would you build the cosmos? Download Pocket Galaxy and find out.

Screenshots

SimpleRockets4 screens
Pocket Galaxy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket Galaxy at none against SimpleRockets's 5. Pocket Galaxy also leads on ratings volume (9.9K vs 683) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). SimpleRockets's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and price ($2.99 vs $3.99). On ads 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

SimpleRockets costs $2.99 and Pocket Galaxy $3.99 up front. SimpleRockets sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Pocket Galaxy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pocket Galaxy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Galaxy has 9.9K ratings behind it against 683, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of SimpleRockets's written reviews are positive against 95% of Pocket Galaxy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SimpleRockets ships an update monthly, Pocket Galaxy every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 3, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
SimpleRockets versus Pocket Galaxy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimpleRocketsPocket Galaxy
Price$2.99 — better$3.99
Rating4.6 (683 ratings)4.8 (9.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.1% of reviews95.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6839.9K — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB125 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJundroo, LLCPocket Labs UK

Customer experience

SimpleRockets

All ratings683 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews355 reviews
Positive85.1%
Neutral7.9%
Negative7.0%

Pocket Galaxy

All ratings9,937 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews702 reviews
Positive95.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative2.3%

User reviews

SimpleRockets

From 683 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great game
  • 🚀 Fun and addictive
  • 🚀 Realistic physics
  • 🚀 Awesome space simulation
  • 🚀 Intuitive and easy to learn

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Unstable and unreliable
  • 🐛 Difficult to build complex rockets
  • 🐛 Lack of camera controls
  • 🔧 Limited part selection

Pocket Galaxy

From 9.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Good game
  • 👍 Fun and relaxing
  • ⭐ Great for space enthusiasts
  • 💎 Awesome for creating solar systems
  • 🌟 Incredible graphics and physics

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy orbits and collisions
  • 🐛 Planets disappearing or resetting
  • 🐛 Laggy performance with many objects
  • 🔧 Difficult to control planet orbits
  • 🔧 Limited customization options

Bugs and requests

SimpleRockets

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Rocket parts detaching mid-flight
  • Docking and rendezvous issues
  • Inconsistent controls and responsiveness
  • Graphical glitches and visual bugs

Requested features

7 requests
  • More parts and customization options
  • Improved rocket building and assembly
  • Camera controls and different views
  • Career mode or progression system
  • Multiplayer or cooperative features
Show 2 more
  • Expanded solar system and exploration
  • Better tutorials and guidance

Pocket Galaxy

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Planets not staying in orbit
  • Satellites and black holes causing UI issues
  • Textures disappearing in planet selection
  • Saved universes not loading correctly
  • Inconsistent planet/star coloring after reloading

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more celestial bodies (neutron stars, pulsars, etc.)
  • Improve life simulation and terraforming mechanics
  • Allow custom planet/star creation and editing
  • Implement surface view and spaceship exploration
  • Add more advanced simulation features (galaxy formation, etc.)

In-app purchases

5 purchases

SimpleRockets

One-time5
  • Angel Rocket Skin$0.99
  • Cartoon Rocket Skin$0.99
  • Guardian Rocket Skin$0.99
Show 2 more
  • Lava Rocket Skin$0.99
  • Platinum Rocket Skin$0.99
None

Pocket Galaxy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SimpleRockets free?
SimpleRockets costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Pocket Galaxy free?
Pocket Galaxy costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SimpleRockets or Pocket Galaxy?
Pocket Galaxy is rated higher. SimpleRockets averages 4.6 out of 5 from 683 ratings, while Pocket Galaxy averages 4.8 from 9.9K ratings.
Do SimpleRockets or Pocket Galaxy have ads?
Neither SimpleRockets nor Pocket Galaxy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SimpleRockets or Pocket Galaxy?
SimpleRockets ships an update monthly, and Pocket Galaxy every 4 months. Most recently, SimpleRockets was updated on October 3, 2026 and Pocket Galaxy on October 3, 2026.

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