# Astrospheric vs Fotocast

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Astrospheric at 87% against Fotocast's 30%. Astrospheric also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and chart position (#90 vs unranked). Fotocast's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Astrospheric sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Fotocast sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Astrospheric holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astrospheric has 484 ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Astrospheric's written reviews are positive against 30% of Fotocast's.

Astrospheric ships an update every 2 weeks, Fotocast fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astrospheric | Fotocast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (484 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrospheric/id1166046863/reviews)** | [3.8 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fotocast/id1270587588/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **484** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | **86.8% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | — |
| Size | 39 MB | 188 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Fiordalis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166046862) | [Dunbar Technology, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200379778) |

## What reviewers say

### Astrospheric

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrospheric/id1166046863)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Grossing · Weather, #154 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

This app offers advanced weather forecasting and astronomical data for stargazers and astrophotographers. It provides detailed hourly forecasts, cloud and sky transparency reports, and alerts for celestial events. It also includes tools for astronomical societies and offline site setup.

**Highlights:** 84-hour hourly weather forecast, Ensemble cloud forecast, Kp index for Aurora, ISS flyover paths, Integrated smoke forecast, Sky and ground data, Rise and set times, Solar and Lunar eclipse data

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Astrospheric Pro Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Astrospheric Pro Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Precision tool for astrophotography
- 🔍 Detailed weather forecasts
- ⭐ Accurate and reliable
- 💻 Comprehensive data and features
- 📊 Helpful for planning observing sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccurate forecasts
- 🔍 Missing some weather data (e.g. wind)
- 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🔌 Compatibility issues on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or not loading on some devices
- Inconsistent temperature and wind data

**Requested features**

- Notification system for clear skies
- Widgets for quick access to data
- More detailed transparency and seeing data
- Ability to flip east and west in the app


### Fotocast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fotocast/id1270587588)

This app provides hyperlocal weather forecasts specifically tailored for outdoor photographers. It offers unique tools like a "Fotoscore" for optimal conditions, sunrise/sunset quality predictions, and minute-by-minute precipitation alerts. Plan your photo sessions with confidence, get gear-based suggestions, and access historical weather data.

**Highlights:** Hyperlocal weather forecasts, Fotoscore™ for photography conditions, Sunrise & Sunset quality prediction, Minutely precipitation alerts, Daylight phases (blue hour, golden hour), Photo suggestions based on weather & gear, Photo session manager, Animated radar & weather maps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fotocast Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Fotocast Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Fotocast Premium - One Time | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Great idea for photographers
- 👍 Useful for planning photography
- 💡 Concise and useful information
- 💡 Replaces multiple apps
- 👍 Active and responsive developer (historically)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App doesn't load location
- 🐛 No data available
- 🐛 Subscription issues
- 🐛 Abandoned app

**Reported bugs**

- Nothing working
- No data available
- Never updated to my location
- App is abandoned
- Nothing loads in any category

**Requested features**

- Pull apps down if abandoned
- Remove payment options from abandoned apps
- Fix app updates
- One-time payment option instead of subscription
- Fix app to work


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astrospheric free?

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

### Is Fotocast free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Astrospheric or Fotocast?

Astrospheric is rated higher. Astrospheric averages 4.8 out of 5 from 484 ratings, while Fotocast averages 3.8 from 88 ratings.

### Do Astrospheric or Fotocast have ads?

Neither Astrospheric nor Fotocast shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astrospheric or Fotocast?

Astrospheric ships an update every 2 weeks, and Fotocast fortnightly. Most recently, Astrospheric was updated on November 1, 2026 and Fotocast on October 29, 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.*