Comparison

RealTime Space vs COSMOS

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

Head to head
About

RealTime Space

Features
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Strap in. RealTime Space puts you at the helm of your own starship in a photoreal, full-scale universe — every planet, every major moon, and 8,920 real stars, all in the palm of your hand. FLY ANYWHERE Real navigation physics with thrust, drift and 100x warp. Skim Jupiter's storms, cruise through Saturn's sunlit rings, chase comets across the system, or point the nose at a star and just go. A REAL SKY Every star you see is real — 8,920 naked-eye stars with their true names, brightness and 3D positions, plus the Milky Way band exactly where it belongs. Fly to Sirius, Betelgeuse or Vega and watch a point of light resolve into a blazing sun. THE WHOLE SOLAR SYSTEM All eight planets in photoreal detail, the Moon, volcanic Io, icy Europa, hazy Titan, Enceladus and its geysers, the asteroid belt, famous comets, deep-space nebulae — and Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the galaxy. THREE WAYS TO FLY VISOR — a clean, unobstructed view of space. HELM — a full cockpit around you. CHASE — follow your own ship from behind. SCAN AND DISCOVER Scan planets, moons and stars to fill your Field Guide, track your journey on the Space Map, and complete missions as you explore. MADE TO FEEL REAL Analytic eclipse and ring shadows, real star colors, a procedural engine soundscape, and a sky accurate enough to learn constellations from. FREE FOR 60 DAYS Everything is free for your first 60 days. Keep the whole universe forever with a single $1.99 unlock — no subscription, no ads, no account, no data collection. WORKS WITH VOICEOVER Every control is labeled — thrust, warp, the joystick, the camera views and the fly-to list — so the ship can be flown with a screen reader turned on.

About

COSMOS

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
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. - DESIGNED WITH RESPECT - No ads, ever - No in-app purchases — one simple price - Works fully offline, on a plane or on a mountain - Collects zero personal data 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

RealTime Space4 screens
COSMOS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: COSMOS at none against RealTime Space's 1. COSMOS also leads on 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. RealTime Space sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. COSMOS asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
RealTime Space versus COSMOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRealTime SpaceCOSMOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNice Dreamz llcyuudai tasaki

In-app purchases

1 purchases

RealTime Space

One-time1
  • Unlock Forever$0.99
None

COSMOS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RealTime Space free?
RealTime Space is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is COSMOS free?
COSMOS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do RealTime Space or COSMOS have ads?
Neither RealTime Space nor COSMOS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RealTime Space or COSMOS?
RealTime Space ships an update every 2 weeks, and COSMOS every 2 weeks. Most recently, RealTime Space was updated on October 24, 2026 and COSMOS on October 25, 2026.

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