# DIY Sun Science vs Doorways into Open Access

The clearest difference is rating: Doorways into Open Access at 5.0 against DIY Sun Science's 4.4. Doorways into Open Access also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 92%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Doorways into Open Access holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of DIY Sun Science's written reviews are positive against 100% of Doorways into Open Access's.

DIY Sun Science ships an update every 6 months, Doorways into Open Access weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DIY Sun Science | Doorways into Open Access |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493/reviews) | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doorways-into-open-access/id1571509322/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **21** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 134 MB | 337 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Lawrence Hall of Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/462994550) | [Smithsonian Institution](https://appshunter.io/developer/370564865) |

## What reviewers say

### DIY Sun Science

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493)

Explore the Sun through hands-on activities and real-time data. This app offers 15 engaging experiments, live solar images from NASA, and educational videos to foster understanding of solar science for families and educators.

**Highlights:** 15 hands-on solar activities, Step-by-step instructions, Live Sun images from NASA SDO, NASA Earth and space observatory images, NASA solar videos, Learn about solar activity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Doorways into Open Access

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doorways-into-open-access/id1571509322)

Explore a virtual portal to 1912 Paris and discover artifacts from the Smithsonian's Open Access collection. This augmented reality experience immerses you in "La Belle Epoque" for an educational journey.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality experience, Virtual portal to 1912 Paris, Explore Smithsonian Open Access artifacts, Immersive "La Belle Epoque" setting, Educational historical journey

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DIY Sun Science free?

DIY Sun Science is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Doorways into Open Access free?

Doorways into Open Access is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DIY Sun Science or Doorways into Open Access?

Doorways into Open Access is rated higher. DIY Sun Science averages 4.4 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Doorways into Open Access averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do DIY Sun Science or Doorways into Open Access have ads?

Neither DIY Sun Science nor Doorways into Open Access shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DIY Sun Science or Doorways into Open Access?

DIY Sun Science ships an update every 6 months, and Doorways into Open Access weekly. Most recently, DIY Sun Science was updated on November 1, 2026 and Doorways into Open Access on November 3, 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.*