Comparison

OptiUniverse vs COSMOS

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

Head to head
About

OptiUniverse

Features
Read full description

Explore the Solar System in 3D on your iPhone. Get close to Saturn's rings, discover Jupiter's cloud bands, inspect Earth, and choose a space mission to replay. OptiUniverse brings planets, moons, and spacecraft journeys together in an interactive universe built for curiosity. Browse celestial destinations, move freely around each world, and learn through detailed visuals and concise science facts. EXPLORE PLANETS AND ORBITS - Discover planets, moons, and distant worlds with detailed 3D materials, atmospheres, and rings. - Pan, pinch, and rotate to find your own perspective, or follow a celestial object. - Read object facts and orbital information in panels that adapt to the available space. - Preview supported transfer routes and follow navigation progress in the top bar. - Explore a solar-system simulation synchronized to the current date using offline planetary ephemerides. MADE FOR IPHONE DUO - Explore on the outer and inner displays, in portrait and landscape. - Browse a mission carousel on compact screens or multiple mission cards and a destination grid on wider screens. - Keep exploring as the layout changes, with native navigation controls and a scene that extends to the screen edges. REPLAY SPACE MISSIONS - Follow Voyager 1 from launch through its Jupiter and Saturn flybys to its journey beyond the heliosphere. - Watch Crew 13 travel from Earth to docking with the International Space Station. - Explore Artemis II's Earth-Moon-Earth journey and Starship Flight 14's launch, deployment, and return. - See mission status in the navigation bar and simulation time alongside the scene controls. Mission replays are compressed, illustrative visualizations. Spacecraft sizes, trajectories, and timing are adapted for clarity; they are not live spacecraft tracking or telemetry reconstructions. From a quick look at a favorite planet to a journey through spaceflight history, OptiUniverse makes space something you can explore.

About

COSMOS

Explore a real-time 3D model of the solar system with accurate planetary positions and photo-realistic textures. Control time to view past or future celestial events and learn about planets and moons. This app is free and works offline.

Highlights
  • Real-time planetary orbits
  • Photo-realistic textures
  • Time control for past/future viewing
  • Free and offline functionality
  • Detailed planet information
  • Exploration via pinch and swipe
Features
Read full description

COSMOS is a solar system you hold in your hand. This is not a decoration. Every planet sits exactly where it is right now, computed from real orbital mechanics. Where is Jupiter tonight? How are Saturn's rings tilted? Open the app — the answer is there. - REAL ORBITS Positions of all 8 planets and the Moon are computed from Keplerian orbital elements in real time. Scrub through time to see the sky 10 years from now — or the day you were born. - PHOTO-REAL TEXTURES Saturn's rings, Jupiter's Great Red Spot, sunspots and solar granulation — every texture is generated on your device and stays crisp as you zoom. - CONTROL TIME From one second = hours, to one second = years. Watch the Moon change phase and the planets trace their orbits with your own eyes. - EXPLORE FREELY Pinch and swipe from outside the solar system down to a planet's face. Tap any body for details. - FREE FOR EVERYONE - Every feature is free — nothing locked behind a paywall - Just a small banner ad, never covering the view - Works offline, on a plane or on a mountain - Enjoying COSMOS? Leave an optional tip to support development For curious kids asking "why?" For stargazers who want a quiet moment of awe. The real universe, in your pocket. LANGUAGES English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, German

Screenshots

OptiUniverse4 screens
COSMOS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OptiUniverse at none against COSMOS's 3. COSMOS's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, 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

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OptiUniverse ships an update every 10 days, COSMOS every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
OptiUniverse versus COSMOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOptiUniverseCOSMOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size421 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMaksim Doroshenkoyuudai tasaki

In-app purchases

None

OptiUniverse

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

COSMOS

One-time3
  • Support the Developer$1.99
  • Support the Developer$4.99
  • Support the Developer$9.99

Questions

Is OptiUniverse free?
OptiUniverse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is COSMOS free?
COSMOS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OptiUniverse or COSMOS have ads?
Neither OptiUniverse nor COSMOS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OptiUniverse or COSMOS?
OptiUniverse ships an update every 10 days, and COSMOS every 2 weeks. Most recently, OptiUniverse was updated on November 5, 2026 and COSMOS on November 6, 2026.

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