Orbitrack vs SkySafari
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
Orbitrack ships an update every 4 months, SkySafari monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Orbitrack | SkySafari |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $0.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (962 ratings) | 4.7 (18K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.6% of reviews — better | 63.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 962 | 18K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #58 | #12 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 138 MB | 859 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Southern Stars Group, LLC | Simulation Curriculum Corp. |
Customer experience
Orbitrack
SkySafari
User reviews
Orbitrack
From 962 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Orbitrack
No in-app purchases
SkySafari
- SkySafari Premium7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- SkySafari Premium7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Apollo Lunar MissionsFree








