# Solar System Scope vs Armillary Sphere

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Armillary Sphere at none against Solar System Scope's 1. Armillary Sphere also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 76%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). Solar System Scope's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (882 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Solar System Scope sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Armillary Sphere asks for nothing beyond the download.

Solar System Scope holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Solar System Scope has 882 ratings behind it against 6, 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 86% of Armillary Sphere's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Solar System Scope ships an update every 4 months, Armillary Sphere every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Solar System Scope | Armillary Sphere |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (882 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-system-scope/id863969175/reviews)** | [4.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/armillary-sphere/id1225026601/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **882** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 154 MB | 275 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INOVE, s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/863969178) | [HKU TELI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1153931100) |

## 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


### Armillary Sphere

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/armillary-sphere/id1225026601)

Explore the cosmos with this 3D astronomical tool. Measure and record the positions and movements of celestial bodies, and determine sunrise/sunset times and day length. Reconstructs an ancient scientific instrument using modern technology.

**Highlights:** 3D astronomical model, Measure celestial positions, Record Sun and star movements, Determine sunrise/sunset times, Calculate day length, Adjustable Meridian, Equator, Horizon, Ecliptic, Altitude

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Solar System Scope free?

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

### Is Armillary Sphere free?

Armillary Sphere is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Solar System Scope or Armillary Sphere?

Solar System Scope is rated higher. Solar System Scope averages 4.4 out of 5 from 882 ratings, while Armillary Sphere averages 4.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Solar System Scope or Armillary Sphere have ads?

Neither Solar System Scope nor Armillary Sphere shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Solar System Scope or Armillary Sphere?

Solar System Scope ships an update every 4 months, and Armillary Sphere every 5 months. Most recently, Solar System Scope was updated on October 12, 2026 and Armillary Sphere on October 5, 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.*