Comparison

ISS Live Now vs Space Station Tracker

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

Head to head
About

ISS Live Now

Experience Earth from orbit with a 24/7 live HD video stream from the International Space Station. Track the ISS's path on a dynamic map and access various NASA and ESA feeds, including spacewalk footage and interior tours.

Highlights
  • 24/7 live HD Earth view from ISS
  • Interactive ISS orbit tracker map
  • Multiple live video streams (ISS cameras, NASA TV, ESA)
  • Spacewalk and interior ISS video tours
  • Notifications for live sunrise/sunset views
  • Launchpad live streams
Features
Read full description

See the Earth as the astronauts see it with a 24/7 video livestream from the International Space Station. If you like space or astronomy, you will love ISS Live Now. ISS Live Now gives you easy access to live video feeds of Earth from the International Space Station, orbiting about 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the planet. The app combines live streaming, orbit tracking and space exploration tools in one thoughtful experience. LIVE VIDEO STREAMS • Live HD Camera: High-resolution view of Earth from EHDC cameras aboard the ISS. • Live Standard Camera: Live Earth views with mission updates, tests and communications. • NASA TV: Science and space documentaries, plus interviews with astronauts, scientists and engineers. • NASA TV Media. • Spacewalk (Recorded): HD footage from cameras outside the ISS. • Inside the International Space Station: Video tours of ISS modules explained by astronauts. • Eventual Channel: Temporary live feeds from NASA, ESA, Roscosmos and SpaceX. • Launchpad Cameras: 24/7 live streams from launch sites around the world. • ESA: Live feeds from the European Space Agency. • Sen.com 4K Cameras: Ultra-high-definition views via the official Sen website. MAP & TRACKING Follow the ISS orbit with Google Maps or an interactive 3D globe. Zoom, rotate, drag and tilt the map to see exactly where the station is flying. ISS DETECTOR Discover when the ISS will pass over your location, track visible passes in the sky and receive alerts for daylight passes near you. ROCKET LAUNCHES & EVENTS Browse upcoming rocket launches and receive notifications about live space events, including spacewalks and mission milestones. EXPLORE & LEARN • Virtual Tour: Explore the ISS in an immersive street-view experience. • Who Is in the ISS: Meet the astronauts currently aboard the station. • SpaceX Docking Simulator: Practice docking with the official SpaceX simulator. • Solar System Explorer: Travel through the solar system. NOTIFICATIONS Get alerts for sunrise and sunset as seen from the ISS, interesting locations on Earth, rocket launches and special live events. NOTE When the ISS is on Earth's night side, the video image is black: this is normal. Occasionally, a blue or blank screen appears due to transmission issues or camera changes. The stream usually returns within a few minutes. This is not an app problem. X: @isslivenow, News about the ISS, NASA, space, Earth and the live stream. Instagram: @isslivenow, Photos of Earth from the streaming cameras and NASA TV. Facebook: @isslivenow, Photos, news and information about ISS Live Now.

About

Space Station Tracker

Follow the International Space Station's live location on a globe and get alerts for visible flyovers at your exact location. Features a compass view to help you spot it in the sky.

Highlights
  • Real-time ISS location tracking
  • Globe view with orbital trajectory
  • Upcoming visible flyover alerts
  • GPS-based viewing calculations
  • Compass view for sky spotting
  • Azimuth and elevation details
Features
Read full description

Track the International Space Station in real time and see upcoming visible flyovers for your location. ISS Tracker helps you understand where the ISS is now, when it will pass overhead, and where to look in the sky. It is designed to be simple, useful, and privacy-first. LIVE GLOBE VIEW See the current location of the ISS and its orbital path on an interactive globe. The app displays approximately one full orbit and updates the station’s position with live telemetry, including latitude, longitude, altitude, and speed in miles or kilometers. UPCOMING VISIBLE FLYOVERS Find upcoming ISS flyovers based on your location. Viewing opportunities are calculated using your location and estimated visibility, helping you identify passes that may be visible to the naked eye. FLYOVER COMPASS VIEW Use the compass view to know where to look. Each flyover includes azimuth, compass direction, and elevation details for the start, maximum elevation, and end of the pass. PRIVACY-FIRST LOCATION USE Your location is used to show your position relative to the ISS and calculate upcoming flyovers. Location is requested only while using the app, and is never sent to third parties. The app does not use analytics, advertising, or tracking. ISS Tracker is built for skywatchers, space enthusiasts, educators, students, and anyone who wants a clear way to follow the International Space Station. Questions or feedback? Contact support@pacificaconsulting.io

Screenshots

ISS Live Now4 screens
Space Station Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

ISS Live Now and Space Station Tracker both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of ISS Live Now's written reviews are positive against 50% of Space Station Tracker's. ISS Live Now also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 20 months) and ratings volume (6.7K vs 5). Space Station Tracker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating 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

Both are free to download. ISS Live Now sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Space Station Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ISS Live Now against 4.6 for Space Station Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ISS Live Now has 6.7K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of ISS Live Now's written reviews are positive against 50% of Space Station Tracker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ISS Live Now ships an update monthly, Space Station Tracker every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
ISS Live Now versus Space Station Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterISS Live NowSpace Station Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (6.7K ratings) — better4.6 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews87.8% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6.7K — better5
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 20 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCarlos SantosJaimeson Bilodeau

Customer experience

ISS Live Now

All ratings6,700 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral3.1%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews1,845 reviews
Positive87.8%
Neutral4.3%
Negative7.9%

Space Station Tracker

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

ISS Live Now

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Map is not working!
  • Live feed cuts when strange things happen
  • No camera available
  • Constant loss of connection
  • Camera quality issues
Show 2 more
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices

Requested features

9 requests
  • More live cameras please
  • Add zoom in function
  • Add more map options
  • Add ability to save stills or videos
  • Add captions for the videos
Show 4 more
  • Add more angles of the space station
  • Add ability to watch spacewalks
  • Add dark mode option
  • Add advanced analytics dashboard

Space Station Tracker

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ISS Live Now

One-time1
  • Remove ads$2.99
None

Space Station Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ISS Live Now free?
ISS Live Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Space Station Tracker free?
Space Station Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ISS Live Now or Space Station Tracker?
ISS Live Now is rated higher. ISS Live Now averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while Space Station Tracker averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.
Do ISS Live Now or Space Station Tracker have ads?
ISS Live Now shows ads; Space Station Tracker does not.
Which is updated more often, ISS Live Now or Space Station Tracker?
ISS Live Now ships an update monthly, and Space Station Tracker every 20 months. Most recently, ISS Live Now was updated on November 5, 2026 and Space Station Tracker on November 3, 2026.

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