# AstroShort vs Cosmic Specks

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AstroShort at none against Cosmic Specks's 1. AstroShort also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Cosmic Specks's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cosmic Specks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AstroShort asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for AstroShort against 5.0 for Cosmic Specks. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

AstroShort ships an update every 3 weeks, Cosmic Specks daily. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AstroShort | Cosmic Specks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astroshort/id6779456978/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-specks/id6784808054/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 117 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edon Zogaj](https://appshunter.io/developer/1488603658) | [Kaolin Fire](https://appshunter.io/developer/506161943) |

## What reviewers say

### AstroShort

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astroshort/id6779456978)

Explore the entire universe from your fingertips, flying between planets, moons, and even black holes. Dive deep into factual information sourced from NASA, with interactive real-world locations and animated scenes. Offers both an explorer and a kid-friendly mode for all ages.

**Highlights:** Interactive solar system exploration, Detailed planet and moon information, Real-world location exploration, Animated scenes and landmarks, Explorer and Kid modes, Offline functionality, User-submitted feature ideas

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cosmic Specks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-specks/id6784808054)

Explore the solar system with accurate scale and orbital mechanics. This app removes common simplifications to reveal the true vastness and complexity of space. Witness planetary rotations, eclipses, and comet paths with unprecedented detail.

**Highlights:** Accurate planetary scale, True orbital inclinations, Realistic axial rotations, Detailed comet paths, Time-based simulations, Precise eclipse visualization, Data-driven accuracy indicators

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20,000 Years | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AstroShort free?

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

### Is Cosmic Specks free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AstroShort or Cosmic Specks?

AstroShort and Cosmic Specks are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do AstroShort or Cosmic Specks have ads?

Neither AstroShort nor Cosmic Specks shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AstroShort or Cosmic Specks?

AstroShort ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cosmic Specks daily. Most recently, AstroShort was updated on October 16, 2026 and Cosmic Specks on October 28, 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.*