Comparison

SchoolModeApp vs Orrery

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

Head to head
About

SchoolModeApp

Features
Read full description

SchoolMode – Focus Starts Here SchoolMode helps schools, teachers, and parents reduce smartphone distractions during class time — without confiscation, confrontation, or complex hardware. Using QR-based check-in and native device restrictions, SchoolMode encourages students to place their phones into a focused, distraction-free state while remaining safe and reachable. Why SchoolMode? Smartphones are one of the biggest challenges in today’s classrooms. SchoolMode provides a simple, respectful, and effective solution that works with students instead of against them. No phone collection No special lockers or pouches No invasive monitoring Just clear rules, clear moments, and restored attention. Key Features QR Check-In Students scan a QR code when entering class to activate SchoolMode instantly. Focus Enforcement Encourages the use of device Focus / restriction modes to limit distractions during class time. Session-Based Control SchoolMode activates only during defined periods (class, exams, study sessions). Activity Logs Schools and teachers can review session participation and basic compliance logs. Teacher-Friendly No technical setup required. Works in seconds. Parent-Approved No spying, no content access, no private data inspection. Multi-Use Ready Perfect for: Schools & universities Exams & study halls Libraries & training centers Events & workshops Privacy & Safety First SchoolMode is built with privacy as a core principle: No access to personal content No message, photo, or app tracking No location tracking outside active sessions Data is used only to operate the service Your data remains yours. For Schools & Institutions SchoolMode integrates easily into existing school rules and policies, helping institutions: Reduce classroom distractions Improve attention and learning outcomes Support teachers without adding workload For Parents SchoolMode helps reinforce healthy phone habits during school hours while ensuring students remain reachable if needed. Our Philosophy SchoolMode is not about punishment. It’s about teaching focus, responsibility, and balance in a digital world.

About

Orrery

Explore a dynamic 3D model of the solar system with real-time planetary motion and historical events. Features narrated stories, AR capabilities, and educational mini-lessons. Unlock the full solar system with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • 3D solar system model with real motion
  • Augmented Reality (AR) mode
  • Narrated stories and vital statistics
  • Historical time travel events
  • Interactive educational mini-lessons
  • Home screen widget
  • Cosmic quiz
Features
Read full description

An orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system. This is yours, alive in light. Open the app and fly: all eight planets, Pluto, the Moon, and a working asteroid belt orbit a glowing Sun in real relative motion. One finger orbits the camera, a pinch zooms, and a tap on any world glides you to its sunlit side. Earth, Moon, and Sun are free to explore in full. One purchase unlocks the whole solar system. No subscription, no ads, no accounts, ever. EXPLORE Every world has a full page: a spinnable globe, NASA-sourced vital statistics, an animated size comparison, and a "Did you know?" carousel. LISTEN A narrated story for every world, written from NASA sources. THE GRAND TOUR An eleven-stop guided cruise from the Sun to Pluto. TIME TRAVEL One switch sets every world where it truly is right now, computed on device from JPL planetary theory. Then visit the moments that made history: Neptune's discovery night (1846), Apollo 11 (1969), Voyager 2 at Neptune (1989), New Horizons at Pluto (2015). YOUR SKY Choose a day that matters and the whole orrery travels to it. The planets move to where they truly stood, and the day becomes a card you can keep or share: the phase of the Moon, the constellation the Sun was crossing, and two lines written for that sky alone. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN A living miniature orrery widget, every planet in its true position, plus a world of the day with a fresh fact each morning. STARGAZER SCHOOL Seven illustrated mini lessons on the big questions. Why days and years happen, why Pluto isn't a planet anymore, the farthest we have ever traveled, how telescopes see back in time, living in space, Hubble and Webb, and the Space Station overhead. Interactive diagrams and real NASA photography. THE COSMIC QUIZ Five fresh questions every run, drawn from sixty. IN YOUR ROOM Place the solar system on your table with AR. Toggle true distances and walk to Neptune. SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese. Follow your device language or switch right in the app; every story is narrated in every language. TRUE SCALE One switch spreads the orbits to real relative distances. Space is unimaginably empty; feel it. Built for curious kids and the adults who point at the sky with them. Fully supports VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and Reduce Motion. Collects nothing, tracks nothing.

Screenshots

SchoolModeApp3 screens
Orrery4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SchoolModeApp at none against Orrery's 1. 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. Orrery sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SchoolModeApp asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
SchoolModeApp versus Orrery: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSchoolModeAppOrrery
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (26 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—26 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size64 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMathieu RauzierThu Van Ngo

In-app purchases

None

SchoolModeApp

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Orrery

One-time1
  • The Whole Solar System$4.99

Questions

Is SchoolModeApp free?
SchoolModeApp is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Orrery free?
Orrery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SchoolModeApp or Orrery have ads?
Neither SchoolModeApp nor Orrery shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SchoolModeApp or Orrery?
SchoolModeApp ships an update every 5 days, and Orrery every 5 days. Most recently, SchoolModeApp was updated on October 7, 2026 and Orrery on October 24, 2026.

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