Comparison

DIY Sun Science vs CloudLabs The Solar System

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

Head to head
About

DIY Sun Science

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
Read full description

DIY Sun Science is designed to make it easy for families and educators to learn about the Sun anywhere, anytime! The app is developed by UC Berkeley’s The Lawrence Hall of Science, the Children's Creativity Museum, and Sciencenter; funded by NASA. HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES DIY Sun Science includes 15 easy-to-use hands-on activities to learn about the Sun and its important relationship with Earth. Learn how to cook in a solar oven, measure the size of the Sun, or explore shadows in model Moon craters! Each activity includes step-by-step instructions that have been tested by educators, kids, and families. Activity materials are easily available and inexpensive—you may already have many of them in your home! SUN OBSERVATORY Want to see the Sun right now in different wavelengths? Use DIY Sun Science to view live images of the Sun from NASA’s SDO satellite in the Sun Observatory. Afterwards, you can learn more about the solar activity you observed and test your new knowledge. IMAGES AND VIDEOS See awe-inspiring images of the Sun from NASA’s Earth and space observatories! Learn about the different features of the Sun and how scientists are studying it. You can even watch NASA videos of the Sun from the past 48 hours. Praise & Reviews: —Featured by Apple in "Best New Apps" and "Education" —Common Sense Media: “DIY Sun Science is a great way to spark interest in astronomy and inspire learning. The activities are fun and engaging, and they tie in nicely with important astronomy concepts.” —Gizmodo: “A must for budding astronomy enthusiasts.”

About

CloudLabs The Solar System

Create and observe your own solar system with this interactive simulation. Configure stars, planets, and orbits to learn about celestial mechanics. Watch your custom solar system come to life.

Highlights
  • Configure solar system parameters
  • Select main star properties
  • Establish planet orbits
  • Observe planetary motion
  • Interactive simulation
Features
Read full description

This simulation provides you with a holoprojector which you can use to configure the solar system. You will need to select the main star of the solar system, taking into account the mass, radius and temperature. You will also need to establish the number of orbits of the planets and place each one in its respective orbit. Once you have configured the solar system, you will be able to start the simulation in order to observe the motion of the planets around the sun.

Screenshots

DIY Sun Science4 screens
CloudLabs The Solar System1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DIY Sun Science at 92% against CloudLabs The Solar System's 0%. DIY Sun Science also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (21 vs 4). CloudLabs The Solar System's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DIY Sun Science holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DIY Sun Science has 21 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of DIY Sun Science's written reviews are positive against 0% of CloudLabs The Solar System's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
DIY Sun Science versus CloudLabs The Solar System: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDIY Sun ScienceCloudLabs The Solar System
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (21 ratings) — better2.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews91.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings21 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 6 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size134 MB183 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Lawrence Hall of ScienceJiovany Orozco

Customer experience

DIY Sun Science

All ratings21 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative4.2%

CloudLabs The Solar System

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

DIY Sun Science

No in-app purchases

None

CloudLabs The Solar System

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DIY Sun Science free?
DIY Sun Science is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CloudLabs The Solar System free?
CloudLabs The Solar System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DIY Sun Science or CloudLabs The Solar System?
DIY Sun Science is rated higher. DIY Sun Science averages 4.4 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while CloudLabs The Solar System averages 2.0 from 4 ratings.
Do DIY Sun Science or CloudLabs The Solar System have ads?
Neither DIY Sun Science nor CloudLabs The Solar System shows ads.

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