# 3D Solar System vs Celestia

3D Solar System and Celestia both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 78% of Celestia's written reviews are positive against 29% of 3D Solar System's. Celestia also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). 3D Solar System's advantage is ratings volume (1.7K vs 324). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 3D Solar System sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and Celestia sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for 3D Solar System against 4.4 for Celestia. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 3D Solar System has 1.7K ratings behind it against 324, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 29% of 3D Solar System's written reviews are positive against 78% of Celestia's.

3D Solar System ships an update fortnightly, Celestia every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 3D Solar System | Celestia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-solar-system-planets-view/id983877380/reviews) | [4.4 (324 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 324 |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | **78.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 347 MB | 545 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Education Terra](https://appshunter.io/developer/946819038) | [林峰 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1186547508) |

## What reviewers say

### 3D Solar System

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-solar-system-planets-view/id983877380)

Explore the solar system in 3D and augmented reality. Learn about planets, moons, stars, and constellations through interactive models, scientific facts, and engaging quizzes. Create your own planets with AI.

**Highlights:** 3D & AR Solar System models, Scientific facts about celestial bodies, Interactive star map, Engaging educational tasks and quizzes, AI-powered planet creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Week Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| 1 Month PRO | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 month Sale | $10.99 | per month |
| 12 months sale | $14.99 | per year |
| 6 months | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| Astronomy guide - Sky atlas | $19.99 | per month |
| 12 months | $29.99 | per year |
| Astronomy guide - Sky atlas | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| 2 Month Subscription | $29.99 | per 2 months |
| 2 Months Subscription | $39.99 | per 2 months |
| Disable Ads Sale | $9.99 | one-time |
| Disable Ads | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Informative and educational
- 🔍 Detailed solar system information
- 🎨 Cool visuals and graphics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🤔 Misleading 'free' claims
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🤯 Confusing user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Planets displayed incorrectly
- Subscription charges without consent
- Inability to cancel subscription

**Requested features**

- More free content and features
- Realistic planet models and animations
- Expanded content beyond the solar system
- Improved accessibility and usability


### Celestia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestia-space-simulator/id1500434829)

Explore the universe in real-time 3D. Visit planets, moons, star clusters, and galaxies, viewing them from any point in space and time. Customize your experience with expandable content and detailed simulations.

**Highlights:** Real-time 3D space visualization, Explore planets, moons, stars, galaxies, Accurate solar system object positions, Interactive planetarium mode, Expandable content with add-ons, Customizable celestial databases

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Celestia PLUS (Weekly) | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Celestia PLUS (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Celestia PLUS (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Celestia PLUS (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Realistic space simulation
- 🌌 Ability to explore galaxies and star systems
- 🔍 Detailed planet and moon textures
- 📷 Great for taking screenshots
- 🤖 Reminds users of Space Engine

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🌌 Limited exploration beyond Milky Way and Andromeda
- 🌍 Flat terrain on planets
- 🔍 Lack of detail on some celestial objects
- 🔒 Paywall for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Milky Way and other galaxy textures not loading properly
- Crashes when using certain add-ons
- Issues with planet and moon orbits not being accurate

**Requested features**

- Add more exoplanets and distant star systems
- Implement terrain generation for planets
- Expand to include more galaxies and the overall universe structure
- Add support for black holes, pulsars, and other exotic objects
- Improve controls and camera movement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 3D Solar System free?

3D Solar System is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Celestia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 3D Solar System or Celestia?

3D Solar System and Celestia are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.7K and 324 ratings respectively.

### Do 3D Solar System or Celestia have ads?

3D Solar System shows ads; Celestia does not.

### Which is updated more often, 3D Solar System or Celestia?

3D Solar System ships an update fortnightly, and Celestia every 2 weeks. Most recently, 3D Solar System was updated on September 22, 2026 and Celestia on September 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*