# SDO Viewer vs Planet Orbiter VR

The clearest difference is rating: Planet Orbiter VR at 4.3 against SDO Viewer's 3.0. Planet Orbiter VR also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%). SDO Viewer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planet Orbiter VR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SDO Viewer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Planet Orbiter VR holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of SDO Viewer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Planet Orbiter VR's.

SDO Viewer ships an update every 2 months, Planet Orbiter VR every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and August 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SDO Viewer | Planet Orbiter VR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdo-viewer/id913723111/reviews) | **[4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-orbiter-vr/id1556691137/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jerome Diaz](https://appshunter.io/developer/334987620) | [INOVE, s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/863969178) |

## What reviewers say

### SDO Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdo-viewer/id913723111)

Access and view the latest images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Receive push notifications when new images become available, keeping you updated on solar activity.

**Highlights:** Download SDO images, Display latest solar images, Push notifications for new images, Courtesy of NASA/SDO science teams

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Planet Orbiter VR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-orbiter-vr/id1556691137)

Explore breathtaking views of Earth, Mars, and the Moon from low orbit. Fly around celestial bodies and discover famous landmarks or distant corners. Enjoy an immersive experience with or without VR glasses.

**Highlights:** Low orbit exploration, Views of Earth, Mars, and Moon, VR headset support, Non-VR mode available, Detailed planet surface data

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Additional lower orbit views | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SDO Viewer free?

SDO Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planet Orbiter VR free?

Planet Orbiter VR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SDO Viewer or Planet Orbiter VR?

Planet Orbiter VR is rated higher. SDO Viewer averages 3.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Planet Orbiter VR averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do SDO Viewer or Planet Orbiter VR have ads?

Neither SDO Viewer nor Planet Orbiter VR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SDO Viewer or Planet Orbiter VR?

SDO Viewer ships an update every 2 months, and Planet Orbiter VR every 5 months. Most recently, SDO Viewer was updated on June 1, 2026 and Planet Orbiter VR on August 23, 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.*