# 3D Solar System vs Planetaria

The clearest difference is price: 3D Solar System at Free against Planetaria's $4.99. 3D Solar System also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 9). Planetaria's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

3D Solar System is free to download; Planetaria costs $4.99 up front. 3D Solar System sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Planetaria asks for nothing beyond the download.

Planetaria holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 3D Solar System has 1.7K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of 3D Solar System's written reviews are positive against 50% of Planetaria's.

3D Solar System ships an update fortnightly, Planetaria every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 3D Solar System | Planetaria |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-solar-system-planets-view/id983877380/reviews) | **[4.7 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetaria-space-simulator/id1546887479/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 347 MB | 510 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Education Terra](https://appshunter.io/developer/946819038) | [Joseph Rupertus](https://appshunter.io/developer/1610637143) |

## 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


### Planetaria

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetaria-space-simulator/id1546887479)

Explore a dynamic 3D model of the Solar System, synchronizing with real-time data to show celestial bodies in orbit. Discover planets, dwarf planets, and moons with detailed surface models. Manipulate time to view past and future solar system configurations.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D Solar System model, Real-time celestial body positions, Detailed 3D surface models, Explore planets, dwarf planets, and moons, Time manipulation (past/future), AR integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 3D Solar System free?

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

### Is Planetaria free?

Planetaria costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Planetaria is rated higher. 3D Solar System averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Planetaria averages 4.7 from 9 ratings.

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

3D Solar System shows ads; Planetaria does not.

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

3D Solar System ships an update fortnightly, and Planetaria every 5 months. Most recently, 3D Solar System was updated on September 25, 2026 and Planetaria on September 2, 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.*