# Space Simulator vs Rocket Star

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Rocket Star at 94% against Space Simulator's 15%. Rocket Star also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (3.1K vs 93). Space Simulator's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Space Simulator sells 26 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Rocket Star sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Rocket Star holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rocket Star has 3.1K ratings behind it against 93, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of Space Simulator's written reviews are positive against 94% of Rocket Star's.

Space Simulator ships an update every 9 days, Rocket Star every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Simulator | Rocket Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-simulator/id884510216/reviews) | **[4.8 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rocket-star-idle-tycoon-game/id1435697033/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 93 | **3.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 14.6% of reviews | **93.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 279 MB | 182 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Thetis Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/339173067) | [Pixo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1753276119) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-simulator/id884510216)

Experience a highly accurate space flight simulation with realistic physics and celestial bodies. Explore our solar system, witness Earth's rotation, and navigate through asteroid rings. This app offers an immersive astronaut experience with real-world weather and G-force simulations.

**Highlights:** Realistic spaceship physics, Solar system exploration, Real-time Earth rotation, Planet moons and asteroid rings, Weather forecast and G-force simulation, Nasa-based terrain and textures

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (26)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Club Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Club Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Club Yearly | $24.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads forever | $0.99 | one-time |
| Discovery Space Shuttle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Challenger Space Shuttle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Endeavour Space Shuttle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Columbia Space Shuttle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Moon Launch Site | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mars Launch Site | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starlight ZR6 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Artemis Rocket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Soyuz Rocket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Aegean SR8 | $4.99 | one-time |
| RX6 Rimward | $4.99 | one-time |
| Saturn V Rocket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Starship Rocket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Long March 5 Rocket | $4.99 | one-time |
| ZR3 Arminus | $5.99 | one-time |
| F3 Crusader | $5.99 | one-time |
| Space Shuttles Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| All Launch Sites | $6.99 | one-time |
| Oberon M2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| All Rockets | $12.99 | one-time |
| All Tykhon Corp SpaceShips | $24.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All Aircraft | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Good graphics and visuals
- 🌍 Ability to explore planets and space
- ⚙️ Decent physics mechanics
- 🎮 Fun exploration gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Cannot land on planets or re-enter atmosphere
- 📺 Excessive and intrusive ads throughout gameplay
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases ($4.99-$16 for ships/content)
- 🎮 Lack of gameplay depth and objectives
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes frequently when entering space
- App freezes randomly, especially on iPad
- Shuttle burns up even on the moon and during proper re-entry attempts
- FlyWings ad blocks entire screen and cannot be closed
- Game kicks player out when attempting to return to Earth

**Requested features**

- Add ability to land on planets and explore them
- Implement proper atmospheric re-entry mechanics
- Add more spacecraft/rocket options
- Create airports and landing sites on Earth
- Add satellite deployment functionality


### Rocket Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rocket-star-idle-tycoon-game/id1435697033)

Build and manage a futuristic spaceship factory. Research new technologies, assemble rockets, and launch them to explore new planets. Earn idle cash even when offline to grow your space empire.

**Highlights:** Idle factory simulation, Offline progression, Rocket production upgrades, Resource management, Space missions and exploration, Hire scientists and entrepreneurs, Real-time 3D rocket building

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stack of Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gear of Fortune Spin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank | $2.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| VIP Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Offline Earnings boost | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Value Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Production boost | $5.99 | one-time |
| No more ads! | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🚀 Fast progression and upgrades
- 💎 Rewarding gameplay loop
- 🌟 Visually appealing graphics
- 🤩 Addictive and entertaining

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of content/levels beyond certain point
- 💰 Aggressive monetization with frequent ads
- 🕰️ Slow progression without watching ads
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing issues on certain devices
- Inconsistent offline earnings calculations

**Requested features**

- More celestial bodies to explore
- Ability to build space stations
- Improved offline earnings mechanics
- Landscape mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Space Simulator free?

Space Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Rocket Star free?

Rocket Star is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Space Simulator or Rocket Star?

Rocket Star is rated higher. Space Simulator averages 2.7 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while Rocket Star averages 4.8 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do Space Simulator or Rocket Star have ads?

Both Space Simulator and Rocket Star show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Simulator or Rocket Star?

Space Simulator ships an update every 9 days, and Rocket Star every 2 months. Most recently, Space Simulator was updated on October 24, 2026 and Rocket Star on October 29, 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.*