Comparison

Solar System Scope vs Star Walk 2 Plus

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

Head to head
About

Solar System Scope

Explore and discover the solar system and outer space with realistic 3D visualizations and detailed celestial simulations. This app offers an educational and engaging experience for all ages, featuring a comprehensive encyclopedia and a night sky observatory.

Highlights
  • 3D Encyclopedia of celestial bodies
  • Realistic 3D visualizations
  • Night sky observatory with time simulation
  • Accurate orbital parameter calculations
  • High-quality planetary and moon maps
  • Multilingual support
Features
Read full description

Solar System Scope is a fun way of Exploring, Discovering and Playing with the Solar System and Outer Space. Solar System Scope (or just Solar) contains many views and celestial simulations, but most of all - it brings you closer to the furthest reaches of our world and lets you experience lots of fantastic space sceneries. It aspires to be the most illustrative, easy to understand and simple to use space model. - 3D Encyclopedia In Solar’s unique encyclopedia you will find the most interesting facts about every planet, dwarf planet, every major moon and more – and everything is accompanied by realistic 3D visualizations. Solar’s encyclopedia is available in 10 languages: English, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Korean and Slovak. More languages are coming soon! - Nightsky Observatory Enjoy Stars and constellation of the night sky as viewed from any given location on Earth. You can point your device at the sky to see all objects in their proper place, but you can also simulate Night sky in the past or in the future. Now with advanced options that let you simulate ecliptic, equatorial and azimuthal line, or grid (among other things). - Scientific Instrument Solar System Scope calculations are based on up-to-date orbital parameters published by NASA and let you simulate celestial positions at any given time. - For Everyone Solar System Scope is well suited for all audiences and ages: It is enjoyed by space enthusiasts, teachers, scientists, but Solar is successfully used even by children of 4+ years of age! - Unique Maps We are proud to present a very unique set of planetary and moon maps, that let you experience a true-color space as never before. These accurate maps are based on NASA elevation and imagery data. Colors and shades of the textures are tuned according to true-color photos made by Messenger, Viking, Cassini and New Horizon spacecrafts, and the Hubble Space Telescope. Basic resolution of these maps is for free – but if you would like the best experience, you can check out the highest quality, which is available with In-App purchase. - Join our vision Our vision is to build the ultimate space model and bring you the deepest space experience. And you can help - try Solar System Scope and if you like it, spread the word! And don’t forget to join the community and vote for new features on our homepage.

About

Star Walk 2 Plus

Explore the cosmos with a real-time sky map. Point your device to identify stars, planets, and constellations. Discover celestial events and learn about the universe with detailed information and 3D models.

Highlights
  • Real-time sky map
  • 3D constellation models
  • Time machine feature
  • Deep sky object identification
  • Augmented reality mode
  • Celestial event tracking
Features
Read full description

Star Walk 2 Plus is an exquisite stargazing app that enables you to explore the sky through the screen of your device. Make an effortless journey through thousands of stars, planets and constellations. All you have to do is point your device to the sky! ⁕BEST OF 2014: The next generation of the best-selling Star Walk, winner of Apple Design Award, used by over 10 million people⁕ The app uses your device’s sensors and the GPS to determine the exact position of stars, planets, constellations and other objects in the sky. “She’s a beauty.”- The Next Web “Star Walk 2 is a terrific introduction to astronomy for young and old. It’s also handy for serious stargazers for observing planning.” - TUAW “Star Walk 2 is visually stunning.” - PCmag “This is a very beautiful and unusual application that turns your phone into a real planetarium.” - Free apps for me “For those who enjoy the original app, Star Walk 2 is worth the upgrade — the interface is gorgeous. Anyone with even a passing interest in astronomy should grab Star Walk 2.” - iLounge “It is worth every penny.” - PadGadget Star Walk 2 Plus in travel & tourism industry: ‘Rapa Nui Stargazing’ based on Easter Island uses the app for sky observations during its astronomical tours. ‘Nakai Resorts Group’ in the Maldives uses the app during astronomy meetings. Main features: ◆ Map of the sky in real time ◆ 3D models of constellations and other sky objects ◆ “Time machine” ◆ Deep sky objects ◆ Rich info about celestial bodies and sky events ◆ The sky at different wavelengths ◆ Augmented reality mode ◆ "What's new" section with the latest astronomical news ◆ "Visible Tonight" section ► Star Walk 2 Plus shows the real-time map of the sky on your screen in whatever direction you are pointing the device (the Star spotter feature). As you point your device towards the sky, the star map follows your motions using the built-in gyroscope to match the map on your screen to the stars seen from your location. ► What's up in the sky tonight? Open the "Visible Tonight" section and learn about the upcoming astronomical events and celestial objects that will be visible from your location. ► Be aware of the latest news from the world of space and astronomy. The app's "What's new" section will tell you about the most outstanding celestial events in time. ► Create shortcuts to take your stargazing experience to a whole new level. Go to the "Visible Tonight" section and add the shortcut to Siri. Next time when you want to access the list of astronomy events for your location, ask Siri and get it quicker than ever. ► Touching a clock-face icon at the upper-right corner of the screen allows you to select any date and time and watch the sky of different periods. ► Get a deeper understanding of the constellation`s scale and place in the night sky. Enjoy observing wonderful 3D models of constellations, turn them upside down, read their stories. ► Find and study deep sky objects such as meteor showers, planetary nebulae, star clusters, etc. The app is ad-supported and contains In-App Purchases. If you want to use the app without ads, download the paid Star Walk 2 app or remove ads from Star Walk 2 Plus with a special In-App Purchase. Star Walk 2 Plus offers an optional subscription that gives you access to all additional content and removes ads from the app. It is an auto-renewable subscription with one week free trial. At the end of each subscription duration (1 month), the subscription will automatically renew until you choose to cancel it. Users can manage their subscriptions in their account settings on the App Store. Privacy policy: http://vitotechnology.com/privacy-policy.html Terms of use: http://vitotechnology.com/terms-of-use.html Start your best stargazing experience!

Screenshots

Solar System Scope4 screens
Star Walk 2 Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Solar System Scope at none against Star Walk 2 Plus's shown. Solar System Scope also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Star Walk 2 Plus's advantage is ratings volume (95K vs 882) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, review sentiment 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. Solar System Scope sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Star Walk 2 Plus sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Star Walk 2 Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Star Walk 2 Plus has 95K ratings behind it against 882, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Solar System Scope's written reviews are positive against 70% of Star Walk 2 Plus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Solar System Scope ships an update every 4 months, Star Walk 2 Plus every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Solar System Scope versus Star Walk 2 Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar System ScopeStar Walk 2 Plus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (882 ratings)4.6 (95K ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.4% of reviews — better69.8% of reviews
Number of ratings88295K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size154 MB373 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperINOVE, s.r.o.Vito Technology Inc.

Customer experience

Solar System Scope

All ratings882 ratings
Positive83.7%
Neutral4.5%
Negative11.8%
Written reviews237 reviews
Positive76.4%
Neutral6.3%
Negative17.3%

Star Walk 2 Plus

All ratings94,916 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral3.7%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews691 reviews
Positive69.8%
Neutral4.6%
Negative25.6%

User reviews

Solar System Scope

From 882 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Amazing app
  • 👍 Great for learning about space
  • 🌟 Beautifully created
  • 🔭 Realistic and detailed
  • 🎓 Excellent for education

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🔀 Orientation issues
  • 🔒 Upgrade required for full functionality
  • 🕰️ Difficulty pinpointing specific dates

Star Walk 2 Plus

From 95K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Informative and educational
  • 🔭 Accurate star/planet tracking
  • 🎨 Beautiful visuals and graphics
  • 🔊 Relaxing background music
  • 🌍 Useful for stargazing and astronomy

Room to improve

  • 💢 Excessive and intrusive ads in free version
  • 🤔 Confusing navigation and controls
  • 🧭 Inaccurate compass and location tracking
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases required for full features
  • 🔄 Frequent app crashes and freezes

Bugs and requests

Solar System Scope

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when dragging Jupiter
  • Upside-down orientation on tablets
  • Unable to restore purchases
  • Freezes and crashes on launch

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more celestial bodies (Messier objects, Planet 9/10, black holes, etc.)
  • Enable exploration of other galaxies and deep space objects
  • Improve telescope/zoom functionality
  • Add more moons and irregular satellites
  • Implement continental drift and solar system evolution

Star Walk 2 Plus

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Compass and location tracking issues
  • Crashes and freezes when using certain features
  • Purchased upgrades not syncing across devices
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more detailed information about stars and constellations
  • Improve widget functionality and visibility of planets/satellites
  • Implement a dark mode for better visibility at night
  • Allow customization of the display and overlay options
  • Enhance the augmented reality experience

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Solar System Scope

One-time1
  • HQ Textures / No Ads$5.99
12 purchases

Star Walk 2 Plus

Subscriptions5
  • StarWalk2 Ads+ Monthly Premium7 Days trial2 variants$0.991 Month
  • StarWalk2 Ads+ Monthly Premium$0.991 Month
  • StarWalk2 Ads+ Yearly Premium7 Days trial$5.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • StarWalk2 Ads+ Yearly Premium$5.991 Year
  • StarWalk2 Ads+ Yearly Premium3 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time7
  • Constellations Encyclopedia$0.99
  • Discover Solar System Objects$0.99
  • Explore Planet Finder 3D$0.99
Show 4 more
  • Satellite Tracker in the Sky$0.99
  • Night Sky View: without Ads$2.99
  • Night Sky Map: Limited Offer$5.99
  • Night Sky View: No Ads$8.99

Questions

Is Solar System Scope free?
Solar System Scope is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Star Walk 2 Plus free?
Star Walk 2 Plus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Solar System Scope or Star Walk 2 Plus?
Star Walk 2 Plus is rated higher. Solar System Scope averages 4.4 out of 5 from 882 ratings, while Star Walk 2 Plus averages 4.6 from 95K ratings.
Do Solar System Scope or Star Walk 2 Plus have ads?
Star Walk 2 Plus shows ads; Solar System Scope does not.
Which is updated more often, Solar System Scope or Star Walk 2 Plus?
Solar System Scope ships an update every 4 months, and Star Walk 2 Plus every 6 weeks. Most recently, Solar System Scope was updated on September 22, 2026 and Star Walk 2 Plus on September 24, 2026.

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