Comparison

Planetarium 3D vs Celestial Simulation

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

Head to head
About

Planetarium 3D

Explore the solar system in an interactive 3D environment. Travel to planets, moons, dwarf planets, and asteroids, with detailed facts and stunning visuals. Launch cinematic tours and capture your favorite views.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D solar system model
  • Instant travel to planets and moons
  • Explore dwarf planets and asteroids
  • Cinematic tours with various perspectives
  • Capture and share space views
  • Real science-inspired facts and data
  • Supports multiple Apple devices
Features
Read full description

Planetarium 3D turns the solar system into a place you can actually move through. Spin the system with your fingers, zoom in, tap a world, and launch across space to meet it. Drift past Saturn's rings, drop in on Jupiter's moons, or head far beyond Pluto to explore dwarf planets and distant icy worlds. Choose how you want to travel: - Tap any planet to fly there instantly - Visit moons directly and open fact cards along the way - Explore dwarf planets and named asteroids beyond the main planetary lineup - Launch cinematic tours with different flight styles and perspectives - Capture and share your favorite views This version lets you explore more than the classic solar system view. Alongside the 9 planets and 23 moons (now with Mimas, Iapetus, Miranda), you can now travel to worlds like Ceres, Vesta, Pallas, Haumea, Makemake, Eris, Sedna and Quaoar. Built for curiosity, not complexity: - Beautiful 3D planets, rings, lighting and atmosphere effects - Real science-inspired facts and orbital data - Simple touch controls with quick onboarding - Supports iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV - Available in 19 languages No account. No setup. Just open the app and start flying.

About

Celestial Simulation

Features
Read full description

Celestial Simulation Experience the universe as it truly moves. Celestial Simulation is a high-fidelity, physics-based app that lets you explore and understand celestial motion through real simulations—not animations or guesses. Every event is driven by time, location, and real celestial mechanics. From eclipses and planetary motion to lunar occultations and chaotic three-body dynamics, the app turns complex astronomy into intuitive, visual experiences. Observer-Based Simulation Your location matters. Set your observing position on Earth and watch how celestial events change with latitude, longitude, and time. Every simulation adapts instantly to your chosen place and moment. Solar System Geometry Explore the mechanics of the inner solar system: - Annular and hybrid solar eclipses with umbra and antumbra geometry - Planetary conjunctions and minimum angular separations - Mercury and Venus elongations for optimal visibility - Retrograde motion visualized over days and weeks - Transits of Mercury and Venus across the solar disk Most simulations are continuous and time-accurate. Lunar Occultations See how the Moon moves through the sky: - Occultations of bright stars and planets - Local and global visibility bands - Geometry that explains why an event is visible from certain locations Three-Body Dynamics Go beyond classical orbits and explore real gravitational complexity: - Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP) - Lagrange points L1–L5 with stability insights - Chaotic motion in non-rotating frames - Extreme sensitivity to initial conditions - These simulations reveal how real spaceflight dynamics and celestial chaos work. Special Focus: Total Solar Eclipse 2026 (Europe) A total solar eclipse will cross Europe in 2026 — a rare and unforgettable event. Celestial Simulation lets you explore the full path of totality, simulate eclipse geometry from different locations, and understand how timing and position affect what you will see. Use the simulation to: - Compare observing locations across Europe - Visualize eclipse paths and shadow motion - Plan where and when to experience totality Whether you are preparing a journey or simply exploring the mechanics behind the event, the app helps you understand why the eclipse unfolds the way it does. Built for Exploration - Interactive time control - Clean, focused visualizations - Designed for learners, enthusiasts, and curious minds - No clutter, no gimmicks—just the universe in motion Celestial Simulation is a pocket laboratory for understanding how the sky actually works. Whether you’re learning, teaching, or simply fascinated by celestial mechanics, this app lets you see the physics behind the beauty.

Screenshots

Planetarium 3D4 screens
Celestial Simulation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Planetarium 3D at $1.99 against Celestial Simulation's $3.99. On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Planetarium 3D costs $1.99 and Celestial Simulation $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Planetarium 3D versus Celestial Simulation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlanetarium 3DCelestial Simulation
Price$1.99 — better$3.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.618.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB88 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSolueman HussainDung Le

In-app purchases

None

Planetarium 3D

No in-app purchases

None

Celestial Simulation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Planetarium 3D free?
Planetarium 3D costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Celestial Simulation free?
Celestial Simulation costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Planetarium 3D or Celestial Simulation have ads?
Neither Planetarium 3D nor Celestial Simulation shows ads.

Other comparisons