Comparison

COSMOS vs Three

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

Head to head
About

COSMOS

Explore a real-time 3D model of the solar system with accurate planetary positions and photo-realistic textures. Control time to view past or future celestial events and learn about planets and moons. This app is free and works offline.

Highlights
  • Real-time planetary orbits
  • Photo-realistic textures
  • Time control for past/future viewing
  • Free and offline functionality
  • Detailed planet information
  • Exploration via pinch and swipe
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. - FREE FOR EVERYONE - Every feature is free — nothing locked behind a paywall - Just a small banner ad, never covering the view - Works offline, on a plane or on a mountain - Enjoying COSMOS? Leave an optional tip to support development 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

About

Three

Explore the fascinating beauty of gravity and celestial motion. Interact with three bodies, discover countless orbital paths, and experiment with your own gravity scenarios. Turn curiosity into understanding with this educational simulation.

Highlights
  • Explore 16 classic periodic solutions
  • Discover 10,059 3D periodic orbits
  • Experiment with custom gravity scenarios
  • Learn about the three-body problem
  • Offline exploration of orbits
  • Interactive celestial motion simulation
Features
Read full description

Three bodies. Countless paths. Watch the beauty of gravity unfold. Three-Body Simulation brings abstract celestial motion into a world of orbits you can watch, interact with, and explore. See three bodies pull on one another as their trails gradually draw patterns, and discover how a simple law of gravity produces rich and fascinating motion. Explore 16 classic periodic solutions From the flowing Figure Eight to Butterfly, Moth, and Bumblebee, discover the shapes and rhythms of different periodic solutions. Detailed introductions to each orbit explain the motion behind these patterns. Discover 10,059 three-dimensional periodic orbits Explore published spatial periodic solutions and discover paths that weave and curve through space. Choose an orbit by number or discover one at random, then rotate the view to see its shape from different directions. Try your own gravity experiment Adjust the mass, initial position, and velocity of each body and watch how the orbit changes. You can also explore random three-body motion to see how the bodies approach, circle, and move away from one another. Turn curiosity into understanding Learn about the origins, history, and basic principles of the three-body problem. See the full system of three equations of motion, explore classic periodic solutions, and learn how the 10,059 spatial periodic orbits were discovered. Let the paths you see become a starting point for understanding gravity and motion. Available on iPhone and iPad in ten languages, including Chinese, English, and Japanese. Orbit data, simulations, and introductions are included in the app, so the core exploration experience works offline. The complete orbit catalog, random motion, and custom experiments are unlocked with a one-time in-app purchase.

Screenshots

COSMOS4 screens
Three3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Three at every 5 days against COSMOS's every 2 weeks. COSMOS's advantage is ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. COSMOS sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Three sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for COSMOS against 5.0 for Three. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

COSMOS ships an update every 2 weeks, Three every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
COSMOS versus Three: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCOSMOSThree
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeryuudai tasaki志强 曾

Customer experience

COSMOS

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Three

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

COSMOS

One-time3
  • Support the Developer$1.99
  • Support the Developer$4.99
  • Support the Developer$9.99
1 purchases

Three

One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime Unlock$1.99

Questions

Is COSMOS free?
COSMOS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Three free?
Three is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, COSMOS or Three?
COSMOS and Three are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do COSMOS or Three have ads?
Neither COSMOS nor Three shows ads.
Which is updated more often, COSMOS or Three?
COSMOS ships an update every 2 weeks, and Three every 5 days. Most recently, COSMOS was updated on November 6, 2026 and Three on October 31, 2026.

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