# Stars and Planets Simulator vs Groundbound

The clearest difference is ads: Groundbound at none against Stars and Planets Simulator's shown. Groundbound also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 10 days). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stars and Planets Simulator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Groundbound sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Stars and Planets Simulator ships an update every 10 days, Groundbound every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stars and Planets Simulator | Groundbound |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stars-and-planets-simulator/id6778573571/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15** | — |
| Positive reviews | 93.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 672 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) | [Jaroslav Knapek](https://appshunter.io/developer/6818115280) |

## What reviewers say

### Stars and Planets Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stars-and-planets-simulator/id6778573571)

Design and explore your own universe, from crafting stars and planets to piloting a customizable spaceship. Walk the surfaces of your creations and dive into the atmospheres of gas giants.

**Highlights:** Create custom stars and celestial bodies, Design terrestrial and gas giant planets, Pilot customizable spaceships, Explore created planets, Walk on planet surfaces, Explore gas giant atmospheres

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Groundbound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groundbound/id6818115278)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| +20 garage slots | $2.69 | one-time |
| +100 garage slots | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stars and Planets Simulator free?

Stars and Planets Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Groundbound free?

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

### Do Stars and Planets Simulator or Groundbound have ads?

Stars and Planets Simulator shows ads; Groundbound does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stars and Planets Simulator or Groundbound?

Stars and Planets Simulator ships an update every 10 days, and Groundbound every 2 days. Most recently, Stars and Planets Simulator was updated on October 28, 2026 and Groundbound on October 24, 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.*