Comparison

Orbit vs Auralux

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

Head to head
About

Orbit

This app is a meditative physics puzzler where you launch planets to create stable orbits around black holes. Explore a variety of levels, create your own challenges in a sandbox mode, and enjoy a visually artistic and relaxing experience.

Highlights
  • Gravity simulation puzzles
  • Create stable orbits
  • Sandbox mode for level creation
  • Community-created levels
  • Visual orbital mechanics
  • Minimalist graphics and relaxing music
Features
Read full description

ORBIT is a gravity simulator at the heart of a puzzle game. Launch planets with a flick of your finger, and try to get them into stable orbits around black holes. Can you make enough orbits to progress to the next level? New: ORBIT now features a Sandbox (paid) where you can create your own levels! Control time, disable collisions, and paint with gravity. Publish your creations to the world for everyone to play. • 45 free levels, with new mechanics are introduced over time — like repulsive black holes and planets with their own gravity that attract each other • Play community-created levels — virtually limitless content made by other players, all completely free • Launch as many planets as you like, and watch the mesmerizing orbital mechanics unfold • Planets leave colored traces, so that at the end of a level you will have created a beautiful piece of art • See the future trajectory of a planet before you launch it • Play in an environment of smooth, minimalist graphics while listening to relaxing classical piano Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/highkeygames Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/highkeygames

About

Auralux

Experience a unique real-time strategy game with a focus on relaxation and cerebral challenge. Master strategic choices across 150 levels, featuring ambient music and minimalistic graphics. Engage in planetary warfare with up to four players online.

Highlights
  • 150 unique levels
  • Online multiplayer
  • Ambient music
  • Minimalistic graphics
  • tvOS functionality
  • Handoff support
Features
Read full description

Auralux: Constellations features a slow, graceful feel, easy to learn mechanics and vibrant minimalistic graphics, all pulsing to the rhythm of ambient music. This game is designed to provide a relaxing, cerebral experience yet will challenge even the most experienced RTS fans. Every choice matters, and the only path to victory is through clever strategy. It’s Real-Time Strategy, deconstructed. - 150 unique levels, with a dozen new twists to classic Auralux gameplay - Play on the big screen with tvOS functionality! - Online multiplayer for up to four players to wage planetary war against each other. - New modes and maps including black holes, supernovas and wormholes! - Keep your journey alive with Handoff support on iPad, iPhone and Mac! "Auralux is real-time strategy in its purest form... It's simple. It's elegant. It's slow and engrossing." – Kotaku "Auralux is a success. It distills the real-time-strategy game to its purest form." - The A.V. Club "The later game introduces some very interesting mechanics though, such as black holes, gamma ray bursts, and orbiting planets... There is something for everyone." – Techgage

Screenshots

Orbit4 screens
Auralux4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Auralux at none against Orbit's shown. Auralux also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

Both are free to download. Orbit sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Auralux sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Orbit holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.6K and 5.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Orbit's written reviews are positive against 87% of Auralux's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Orbit versus Auralux: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOrbitAuralux
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (7.6K ratings) — better4.7 (5.2K ratings)
Positive reviews94.4% of reviews — better87.0% of reviews
Number of ratings7.6K — better5.2K
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size139 MB108 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHIGHKEY GamesWar Drum Studios LLC

Customer experience

Orbit

All ratings7,627 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral1.0%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews628 reviews
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.5%
Negative3.0%

Auralux

All ratings5,198 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.2%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews869 reviews
Positive87.0%
Neutral5.5%
Negative7.5%

User reviews

Orbit

From 7.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fire game
  • 👍 Relaxing and Enjoyable
  • 👍 Calming, fun, stimulating, humble
  • 👍 Simple and yet complicated
  • 👍 Elegant and easy

Room to improve

  • 🐛 In app purchased not reicevied
  • 🐛 Purchase didn't work for sandbox & ad removal but it's fun.
  • 🔒 Be ware of your data
  • 🐛 Love-hate

Auralux

From 5.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
  • 🎨 Beautiful visuals and music
  • 🕹️ Simple but challenging strategy
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Locked levels behind paywall
  • 🤖 Unfair AI opponents
  • 🐛 Progress not saved properly
  • 🕹️ Difficulty spikes too high in later levels

Bugs and requests

Orbit

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • In app purchase not received
  • Sandbox mode not working
  • Game crashing and unable to open

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to zoom in and out
  • Ability to rotate the game to landscape on iPad
  • Ability to edit and move existing objects in sandbox mode
  • Ability to name planets and add moons
Show 1 more
  • More levels and game modes

Auralux

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Freezing issues on certain devices
  • Restore purchases not working
  • Invisible tutorial messages

Requested features

4 requests
  • More free levels
  • Random map generator
  • Multiplayer improvements
  • Ability to customize colors

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Orbit

One-time7
  • $1 contribution$0.99
  • Remove ads$0.99
  • $2 contribution$1.99
Show 4 more
  • $3 contribution$2.99
  • Orbit Pro$2.99
  • $5 contribution$4.99
  • $10 contribution$9.99
12 purchases

Auralux

One-time12
  • Hercules Constellation$0.99
  • Lupus Constellation$0.99
  • Cygnus Constellation$1.99
Show 9 more
  • Virgo Constellation$1.99
  • Cetus Constellation$1.99
  • Monoceros Constellation$1.99
  • Leo Constellation$1.99
  • Andromeda Constellation$1.99
  • Phoenix Constellation$1.99
  • Perseus Constellation$1.99
  • Bootes Constellation$1.99
  • All Constellations$9.99

Questions

Is Orbit free?
Orbit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Auralux free?
Auralux is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Orbit or Auralux?
Orbit is rated higher. Orbit averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while Auralux averages 4.7 from 5.2K ratings.
Do Orbit or Auralux have ads?
Orbit shows ads; Auralux does not.
Which is updated more often, Orbit or Auralux?
Orbit ships an update every 2 months, and Auralux every 2 months. Most recently, Orbit was updated on November 1, 2026 and Auralux on October 24, 2026.

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