# Ellipse vs Contraptor

The clearest difference is rating: Ellipse at 4.7 against Contraptor's 3.7. Ellipse also leads on ratings volume (2K vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Contraptor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Ellipse holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ellipse has 2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Ellipse's written reviews are positive against 100% of Contraptor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ellipse ships an update monthly, Contraptor every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ellipse | Contraptor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ellipse-rocket-simulator/id6738509541/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contraptor/id6772646468/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 293 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starwelds](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895565220) | [John Coumerilh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1157188388) |

## 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


### Contraptor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/contraptor/id6772646468)

Create intricate machines to solve physics-based puzzles. Design your own challenges, share them with the community, and compete on leaderboards. Learn physics principles through hands-on tutorials.

**Highlights:** Build with real 2D physics, Solve community challenges, Design and share custom puzzles, Climb leaderboards, Hands-on tutorials, Universal app for iPhone and iPad

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ellipse free?

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

### Is Contraptor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ellipse or Contraptor?

Ellipse is rated higher. Ellipse averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Contraptor averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Ellipse or Contraptor have ads?

Neither Ellipse nor Contraptor shows ads.

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

Ellipse ships an update monthly, and Contraptor every 5 days. Most recently, Ellipse was updated on November 4, 2026 and Contraptor on October 31, 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.*