# AstroShort vs COSMOS

The clearest difference is monetization model: AstroShort at free against COSMOS's paid. COSMOS's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for AstroShort against 5.0 for COSMOS. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

AstroShort ships an update every 3 weeks, COSMOS every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AstroShort | COSMOS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astroshort/id6779456978/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmos-3d-solar-system/id6792780408/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 117 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edon Zogaj](https://appshunter.io/developer/1488603658) | [yuudai tasaki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861229093) |

## 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


### COSMOS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmos-3d-solar-system/id6792780408)

Explore a real-time 3D model of the solar system, accurately depicting planet positions based on orbital mechanics. Zoom in on celestial bodies, control time to view past or future sky events, and learn details about each planet. This app offers an ad-free, offline experience with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Real-time planet and moon positions, Scrub through time for past/future views, Photo-realistic textures, Adjustable time scale, Free exploration with pinch and swipe, Detailed information on celestial bodies

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AstroShort free?

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

### Is COSMOS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AstroShort or COSMOS?

AstroShort and COSMOS are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do AstroShort or COSMOS have ads?

Neither AstroShort nor COSMOS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AstroShort or COSMOS?

AstroShort ships an update every 3 weeks, and COSMOS every 2 weeks. Most recently, AstroShort was updated on October 16, 2026 and COSMOS on October 25, 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.*