COSMOS vs Three
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | COSMOS | Three |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | yuudai tasaki | 志强 曾 |
Customer experience
COSMOS
Three
In-app purchases
COSMOS
- Support the Developer$1.99
- Support the Developer$4.99
- Support the Developer$9.99
Three
- Pro Lifetime Unlock$1.99









