# Stretch and Squash vs Star Guide

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Stretch and Squash at 100% against Star Guide's 27%. Stretch and Squash also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.5). Star Guide's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 1.8) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 11 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Stretch and Squash asks for nothing beyond the download.

Star Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Star Guide has 4.4K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Stretch and Squash's written reviews are positive against 27% of Star Guide's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Stretch and Squash ships an update every 11 months, Star Guide every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stretch and Squash | Star Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stretch-and-squash/id1082052185/reviews) | **[4.5 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-guide-night-sky-map/id1542535191/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **4.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 27.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 64 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laser Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1076013854) | [Star register](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542535193) |

## What reviewers say

### Stretch and Squash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stretch-and-squash/id1082052185)

Visualize the effects of gravitational waves on space-time. This educational app exaggerates the stretching and squashing of distances between objects as these cosmic ripples pass through.

**Highlights:** Gravitational wave visualization, Stretching and squashing effects, Exaggerated visual emphasis, Space-time ripple demonstration, Educational physics concepts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Star Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-guide-night-sky-map/id1542535191)

Explore the night sky in real-time with this interactive planetarium. Identify stars and planets, visualize celestial objects in 3D, and plan your stargazing sessions with time travel and location previews.

**Highlights:** Real-time planetarium view, Augmented Reality mode, 3D stars and planets, Best viewing time notifications, Sky motion preview, Past and future sky time travel, Location-based sky preview

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Star-Registration Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Annually | $29.99 | per year |
| One time | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stretch and Squash free?

Stretch and Squash is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Star Guide free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stretch and Squash or Star Guide?

Star Guide is rated higher. Stretch and Squash averages 1.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Star Guide averages 4.5 from 4.4K ratings.

### Do Stretch and Squash or Star Guide have ads?

Neither Stretch and Squash nor Star Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stretch and Squash or Star Guide?

Stretch and Squash ships an update every 11 months, and Star Guide every 2 weeks. Most recently, Stretch and Squash was updated on November 2, 2026 and Star Guide on November 3, 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.*