# Solar System Scope vs Galaxy Map

The clearest difference is ads: Solar System Scope at none against Galaxy Map's shown. Solar System Scope also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Galaxy Map's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Solar System Scope sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Galaxy Map holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 882 and 600 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Solar System Scope's written reviews are positive against 80% of Galaxy Map's.

Solar System Scope ships an update every 4 months, Galaxy Map every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Solar System Scope | Galaxy Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (882 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-scope/id863969175/reviews) | **[4.6 (600 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **882** | 600 |
| Positive reviews | 76.4% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 154 MB | 613 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INOVE, s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/863969178) | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) |

## What reviewers say

### Solar System Scope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-scope/id863969175)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HQ Textures / No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

Explore the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in an interactive 3D map. Discover nebulae, supernovae, and planets, with stunning visuals based on NASA data. Ideal for education and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D galaxy map, Explore nebulae and supernovae, Fly through planetary atmospheres, Land on planets, Based on NASA data, Available in 100+ languages

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Explore button shows nothing
- Pinch-to-zoom doesn't work
- App won't load on iPad
- Text displays as boxes in language settings

**Requested features**

- Search button to find galaxies and objects
- More diverse and realistic black hole designs
- AR feature to identify stars/planets in real sky
- More free content and objects
- Exoplanet additions (TRAPPIST-1e, J1407B)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Solar System Scope free?

Solar System Scope is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Galaxy Map free?

Galaxy Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Solar System Scope or Galaxy Map?

Galaxy Map is rated higher. Solar System Scope averages 4.4 out of 5 from 882 ratings, while Galaxy Map averages 4.6 from 600 ratings.

### Do Solar System Scope or Galaxy Map have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Solar System Scope does not.

### Which is updated more often, Solar System Scope or Galaxy Map?

Solar System Scope ships an update every 4 months, and Galaxy Map every 5 weeks. Most recently, Solar System Scope was updated on September 22, 2026 and Galaxy Map on September 24, 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.*