# Ellipse vs Tilterra

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tilterra at none against Ellipse's 3. Ellipse's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ellipse sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Tilterra asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ellipse ships an update monthly, Tilterra every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ellipse | Tilterra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ellipse-rocket-simulator/id6738509541/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 245 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starwelds](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895565220) | [Tytonext](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551226267) |

## What reviewers say

### Ellipse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ellipse-rocket-simulator/id6738509541)

Design, build, and launch rockets with realistic orbital mechanics. Explore celestial bodies and experience dynamic physics for a true-to-life space simulation. Ideal for aspiring engineers and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Rocket design and customization, Realistic orbital mechanics, Explore celestial bodies, Dynamic physics engine, Space exploration simulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Large Parts | $2.99 | one-time |
| Heavy Lift Program | $4.99 | one-time |
| Expansion | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Realistic simulation
- 👍 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Good graphics
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Inspires interest in spaceflight

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No delete button
- 🐛 Physics issues
- 🐛 Unrealistic re-entry
- 🐛 Laggy performance
- 🐛 Difficult to control rockets

**Reported bugs**

- Connected parts don't work
- Staging issues (last stage goes first)
- Fairings don't attach
- Cannot delete after spawning samples
- Detached parts don't detach

**Requested features**

- Add more planets
- Add astronauts
- Add a delete button
- Add more parts (solar panel, battery, antenna, wing, landing leg, chassis, monopropellant tank, docking port)
- Add electricity consumption


### Tilterra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tilterra/id6748675308)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ellipse free?

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

### Is Tilterra free?

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

### Do Ellipse or Tilterra have ads?

Tilterra shows ads; Ellipse does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ellipse or Tilterra?

Ellipse ships an update monthly, and Tilterra every 3 months. Most recently, Ellipse was updated on October 18, 2026 and Tilterra on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*