Comparison

Orbitrack vs SkySafari

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

Head to head
About

Orbitrack

Explore thousands of satellites in orbit with this augmented and virtual reality spaceflight simulator. Visualize spacecraft, track their paths, and learn about their missions with detailed 3D models and real-time data. Experience space from a new perspective.

Highlights
  • Augmented and Virtual Reality modes
  • Track over 5000 spacecraft
  • Detailed 3D satellite models
  • Voice-controlled VR
  • Radio frequency data for amateur satellites
  • Real-time satellite data updates
  • Time Flow controls
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Orbitrack is a brand-new, Augmented-and-Virtual-Reality satellite tracker and spaceflight simulator! It's your pocket guide to the thousands of spacecraft in orbit around our home planet. 1) More than 16,000 spacecraft, including all active satellites, classified military satellites, the International Space Station, and SpaceX's Starlink communication satellites. 2) Rich new graphics, rewritten using Apple's Metal graphics API, show atmospheric effects, city lights on Earth’s night side, and highly-detailed 3D satellite models. 3) Voice-controlled Virtual Reality mode that works with any smartphone VR viewer. iPhone only. 4) A true "augmented reality" mode that helps you find satellites in the sky by blending the sky chart with video from your phone's camera. Works with Orbit and Satellite views too! 5) Radio frequency data for amateur radio satellites. 6) Updated descriptions for hundreds of spacecraft. Every satellite now has a description from n2yo.com. 7) Supports the latest Apple hardware and software: iPhone 13, iPad Pro, and iOS 15. Check the Mac App Store for our MacOS version! 8) Requires at least iPhone 6 or iPad Air with 64-bit processor and iOS 12 or later. 9) New sound effects and ambient background music. 10) New Time Flow controls let you easily set the date and time, and animate the view. If you're new to Orbitrack, here's what it can do: • Track thousands of satellites. Orbitrack will tell you when spacecraft pass overhead, show you where to find them in the sky, and let you track them across the planet. • Teach you about the International Space Station, Starlink, and hundreds of other satellites in orbit, with comprehensive mission descriptions. • Show the view from any satellite, and see the Earth from orbit just as the “bird” sees it! Orbitrack includes detailed 3D models for dozens of satellites – see them up close from any angle! • Stay on top of the space race. Orbitrack updates its satellite data from n2yo.com and celestrak.com every hour. When new spacecraft are launched, maneuver into new orbits, or fall back into the atmosphere, Orbitrack shows you what’s happening up there, right now. Orbitrack isn’t just powerful – it’s incredibly easy to use! You don’t need an aerospace degree to become an expert satellite tracker. Orbitrack puts advanced capabilities at your fingertips, with the same intuitive touch interface you use every day. The new VR mode is an out-of-this-world experience. Become an astronaut without ever leaving Planet Earth! And if that’s not enough, Orbitrack includes detailed, built-in Help – and expert, responsive technical support.

About

SkySafari

This powerful pocket planetarium helps you explore the night sky. Identify celestial objects by pointing your device, view astrophotography, and plan your stargazing with real-time visibility information. Offers guided tours and pronunciation guides for a comprehensive learning experience.

Highlights
  • Point and identify stars, planets, and constellations
  • Explore astrophotography in the Image Gallery
  • View real-time sky visibility in 'Sky Tonight'
  • Simulate the sky across time and locations
  • Access guided audio tours and pronunciation guides
  • Night Vision mode for dark observation
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SkySafari 8 is a powerful planetarium that fits in your pocket, puts the universe at your fingertips, and is incredibly easy to use! Simply hold your device to the sky and quickly locate comets, planets, constellations, satellites, and millions of stars and deep sky objects. Whether you are a beginner or a longtime astronomy enthusiast, SkySafari 8 is your perfect stargazing companion, packed with interactive information, rich graphics, and a beautifully refined interface. What’s New in Version 8 + New Theme - A new look of the app with a fresh visual palette. + Image Gallery - Explore the universe through astrophotography. Import images directly from AstroBin. + Sky Tonight - Jump to the new Tonight section to see what’s visible in your sky right now. Expanded information has been designed to help plan your night and includes Moon & Sun info, calendar curations, and the best positioned deep sky and solar system objects. If you're new to SkySafari 8, here’s what you can do: + Point & Identify - Hold your device to the sky and instantly identify stars, constellations, planets, satellites, and more. The chart updates automatically with your movements. + OneSky - See what other users are observing in real-time. This feature highlights objects in the sky chart and indicates how many users are looking at them. + Orbit Mode - Lift off from Earth and travel to the planets, moons, and stars. + Guided Audio Tours - Listen to more than four hours of audio narration to learn the history, mythology, and science of the heavens. + Pronunciation Guide - Learn how to correctly pronounce the names of hundreds of celestial objects, from stars to constellations and planets. + Simulate the Sky - See an eclipse in the past or future! Simulate the night sky from anywhere on Earth many years backward or forward in time. + Night Vision - Preserve your eyesight after dark. SkySafari Premium Subscription Unlock amazing features with the optional Premium Subscription, including: + Massive Database - Access a massive deep sky database. + Custom Image Import - Upload and manage your own astrophotography images in the Image Gallery and show them in the sky chart. + Enhanced Tools - Access curated news, events, connected stargazing features, a light pollution map, and more. For telescope control and even more advanced features, check out SkySafari 8 Plus and SkySafari 8 Pro! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.livesky.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Orbitrack4 screens
SkySafari4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Orbitrack at none against SkySafari's 3. Orbitrack also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). SkySafari's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and price ($0.99 vs $4.99). On rating, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Orbitrack costs $4.99 and SkySafari $0.99 up front. SkySafari sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Orbitrack asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Orbitrack against 4.7 for SkySafari. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkySafari has 18K ratings behind it against 962, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Orbitrack's written reviews are positive against 64% of SkySafari's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Orbitrack ships an update every 4 months, SkySafari monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Orbitrack versus SkySafari: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOrbitrackSkySafari
Price$4.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.7 (962 ratings)4.7 (18K ratings)
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews — better63.7% of reviews
Number of ratings96218K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#58#12 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB859 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSouthern Stars Group, LLCSimulation Curriculum Corp.

Customer experience

Orbitrack

All ratings962 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral3.7%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive75.6%
Neutral9.0%
Negative15.4%

SkySafari

All ratings17,862 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews377 reviews
Positive63.7%
Neutral8.2%
Negative28.1%

User reviews

Orbitrack

From 962 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great features
  • 👍 User-friendly
  • 💡 Innovative tracking
  • 🔍 Detailed satellite information
  • 🌍 Realistic Earth and sky views

Room to improve

  • 🤑 Paid app
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes
  • 🔊 Annoying music
  • 🗺️ Outdated satellite data
  • 🔍 Inaccurate magnitude estimates

SkySafari

From 18K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly
  • 🚀 Accurate sky mapping
  • 🌌 Detailed information on celestial objects
  • 💡 Helpful for stargazing and astronomy
  • 🔭 Useful for telescope owners

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
  • 🤑 Excessive upselling and in-app purchases
  • 🤯 Confusing version and feature differences
  • 🙄 Intrusive notifications and sounds
  • 🤔 Difficult to use some features

Bugs and requests

Orbitrack

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Motion tracking issues
  • Stuck on old date
  • Accelerometer not working
  • Satellite positions not accurate

Requested features

5 requests
  • Sort by magnitude feature
  • Favorite satellites option
  • Customizable field of view
  • Notifications for visible passes
  • Metric/imperial toggle

SkySafari

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Compass not working correctly
  • Disappearing or missing objects
  • Time travel feature issues
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to hide toolbar and UI elements
  • More customization options
  • Improved telescope integration
  • Better comet and new object tracking

In-app purchases

None

Orbitrack

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

SkySafari

Subscriptions2
  • SkySafari Premium7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • SkySafari Premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Apollo Lunar MissionsFree

Questions

Is Orbitrack free?
Orbitrack costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SkySafari free?
SkySafari costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Orbitrack or SkySafari?
Orbitrack and SkySafari are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 962 and 18K ratings respectively.
Do Orbitrack or SkySafari have ads?
Neither Orbitrack nor SkySafari shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Orbitrack or SkySafari?
Orbitrack ships an update every 4 months, and SkySafari monthly. Most recently, Orbitrack was updated on September 21, 2026 and SkySafari on September 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Orbitrack or SkySafari?
Orbitrack currently peaks at #58 in the App Store charts, and SkySafari at #12. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

Other comparisons