SpaceStationAR LITE vs ISS ExplorAR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SpaceStationAR LITE
Explore the night sky with augmented reality. This app overlays satellite paths, stars, and galaxies onto your camera view, helping you spot the ISS, Starlink trains, and more. It also provides a calendar of upcoming celestial events and offline map visualizations.
- Augmented reality satellite pass simulation
- Display of stars, galaxies, and spacecraft in AR
- Satellite pass visualization on maps
- Calendar of upcoming satellite passes and launches
- Offline app usage
- Satellite pass notifications
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SpaceStationAR is an augmented reality (AR) application that simulates the visibility of satellites in the night sky. With SpaceStationAR, you can easily spot the brilliant International Space Station, spectacular Starlink Trains, and various satellites at the forefront of space exploration with your own eyes. As your iPhone or iPad camera captures the scenery around you, SpaceStationAR overlays passes of the International Space Station, the Starlink Train (a group of Starlink satellites), and the Chinese Space Station onto the actual scenery. You can also use the app to find bright stars, galaxies, spacecrafts like Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, and even see the direction of major cities beyond the ground. SpaceStationAR also indicates the positions of geostationary satellites, making it a valuable tool for antenna installation. You can easily access satellite orbits on maps in addition to the AR views. The "Calendar" tab displays events like upcoming satellite passes and rocket launches within the next two weeks. You can choose a pass from the list and simulate it in AR. Apple Watch app and "Today" widget are also available. They show simple lists of satellites' passes. LITE version has some restrictions. AR prediction stops 30 minutes before the passes. Full version without Ads and with the sky chat view is available on the store. http://itunes.apple.com/app/torisat/id361194118?mt=8 List of Features * AR simulation of satellite passes overlaid on real landscapes * Display of stars, galaxies, black holes, planetary probes, satellites, and world cities in AR (Visibility can be customized by type) * Visualization of satellite passes on maps * Presentation of satellite orbits and current locations on a global map * Calendar listing satellite passes within the next two weeks * Support for newly launched satellites * Offline app usage * Satellite pass notifications: Set notification times from 15 minutes to 6 hours before the event for accurate alerts. (Please allow background location updates for precise notifications. Disabling this feature may lead to inaccurate notifications when traveling long distances with the app closed.)
ISS ExplorAR
Explore the International Space Station in stunning detail using augmented reality. Walk around the exterior or go inside to experience the astronaut's perspective, with interactive modules and informative videos. A 3D mode offers an alternative navigation experience.
- Augmented Reality (AR) exploration
- Detailed 3D ISS model
- Interactive module information
- In-station astronaut POV experience
- Non-AR 3D navigation mode
- VR Cupola view
- Spacewalk simulation
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Explore the exterior and interior of the International Space Station in detail with Augmented Reality technology. Walkable AR Exploration Using Simultaneous Localization & Mapping (SLAM) augmented reality technology, the user will be able to place a realistic 3D model of the International Space Station on any nearby surface in their reality. By moving the device around in the AR Mode, the user can observe the exterior of the ISS in detail, including the information about each module. Go inside the 3D interior to experience the point of view of the astronauts themselves. Approach each apparatus inside the station to watch helpful videos and know more about it. Via the mini map available, the user will also able to jump to different modules. Thumb-Friendly Navigation in Non-AR 3D Mode For users who prefer non-AR mode, the ISS ExplorAR provides the 3D Mode in which the ISS interior is possible to explore by using a two-thumb friendly navigation system on screen. The user’s left thumb will control the directional button, whilst the right button will control the camera movement for an immersive experience. Cupola in VR & the Spacewalk Experience In the 3D non-AR mode, the user can find 2 ‘hidden features’ by visiting the right module. Approach the hidden icons for a spacewalk experience and enjoy the beautiful view of our planet in virtual reality in the Cupola.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: ISS ExplorAR at 100% against SpaceStationAR LITE's 47%. ISS ExplorAR also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and ads (none vs shown). SpaceStationAR LITE's advantage is ratings volume (140 vs 3). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ISS ExplorAR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SpaceStationAR LITE has 140 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of SpaceStationAR LITE's written reviews are positive against 100% of ISS ExplorAR's.
| Parameter | SpaceStationAR LITE | ISS ExplorAR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (140 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 46.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 140 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 27 MB | 633 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Toriningen Co.,Ltd. | Octagon Studio Ltd |
Customer experience
SpaceStationAR LITE
ISS ExplorAR
In-app purchases
SpaceStationAR LITE
No in-app purchases
ISS ExplorAR
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SpaceStationAR LITE free?
Is ISS ExplorAR free?
Which has better reviews, SpaceStationAR LITE or ISS ExplorAR?
Do SpaceStationAR LITE or ISS ExplorAR have ads?
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