Comparison

Astrospheric vs Noctis

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

Head to head
About

Astrospheric

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
Read full description

Astrospheric provides advanced weather tools for professional astronomers and astrophotographers, and supports hundreds of astronomical societies with tools that help members stay connected. Are you using what the pros use? Features • 84 hour, hour-by-hour forecast • Free notification reminders for major astronomical events • Ensemble cloud forecast lets you quickly compare the major forecast models with hourly updates (Astrospheric Pro) • Extended cloud forecast • Kp index for Aurora viewing (and alerts with Pro) • International Space Station (ISS) flyover paths and times • Astrospheric is the only astronomy service that integrates the smoke forecast into the transparency report • Sky data: cloud, sky transparency, seeing • Ground data: wind, temperature, and humidity • Precise rise and set times for both the sun and moon • Get weather alerts when conditions meeting your requirements are met (Astrospheric Pro) • Details Solar and Lunar eclipse data Astronomical Societies • Stay connected with chat, image sharing, and event planning with all of your members. • Qualifying astronomical societies can get Pro features for all of their members Site Mode • Information necessary to quickly set up your GOTO tracking mount • Available even if you don’t have a network connection Astrospheric Professional is now available to enable Weather Alerts, Ensemble cloud forecast, and more! • Astrospheric Professional is billed monthly or yearly and will auto-renew unless turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. The renewal cost will be the same as the initial sign-up cost of the subscription. Any changes in cost will be communicated before renewal takes place. • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscriptions may be managed by you and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the your Account Settings after purchase. A link to these settings is made available within Astrospheric "My Profile" for easy access. • The terms of use and privacy policy may be found at https://www.astrospheric.com/privacypolicy.php, purchasing a subscription shows agreement to these terms. PLEASE NOTE: Weather data is not available for Hawaii due to the domain area covered by the Canadian Meteorological Center. However, satellite and light pollution map layers, as well as other features will work in Hawaii. More information on Astrospherics forecast domain can be found here: https://www.astrospheric.com/dynamiccontent/datadomain.html

About

Noctis

This app provides a comprehensive score for stargazing conditions by combining light pollution data, weather forecasts, and moon phases. It helps users plan optimal times and locations for astrophotography and observing dark skies.

Highlights
  • Milky Way Score for shooting conditions
  • Light-pollution map with Bortle class
  • Real-time dark window countdown
  • Moon phase and rise/set times
  • 7-night planning
  • Best shooting hours calculation
Features
Read full description

NOCTIS tells you exactly when and where to shoot the night sky. Stop guessing whether tonight is worth the drive. NOCTIS combines real light-pollution data, live weather, moon phases, and the position of the Milky Way into one simple score — so you always know if the sky is ready before you pack your gear. Built for astrophotographers, stargazers, and anyone who loves a truly dark sky. WHAT YOU GET • Milky Way Score (0–100) See tonight's shooting conditions at a glance, scored from real darkness, cloud cover, moonlight, and Galactic Center altitude. • Light-Pollution Map Tap anywhere to read its exact Bortle class and sky brightness, and find the darkest spot near you — straight from satellite data. • Dark Window, Live A real-time countdown to your window of true darkness, from astronomical twilight to dawn. • Moon Phase & Rise/Set Know how much moonlight will wash out the sky, every night. • 7-Night Planning Compare the Milky Way Score for every night this week and pick the perfect one to shoot. • Best Shooting Hours The exact moon-free, low-cloud, high-Galactic-Center window for tonight. REAL DATA ONLY Every number comes from a real source — NASA light-pollution data, live weather, and precise astronomy. No guesses. No filler. NOCTIS+ Unlock all countries, high-resolution maps, full 7-night planning, the complete Galactic Center timeline, and unlimited saved dark-sky locations. Plan smarter. Drive less. Shoot more. — Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qNmBEtoR9yyo2DtrzmasKH9MGZ3R10ZwGGitklWXlQk/edit?usp=sharing Terms of Use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16IRbNhS8XbfncUq6VmWxg0QuUvU5Wb3aE_2J9ZTriGA/edit?usp=sharing

Screenshots

Astrospheric4 screens
Noctis4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Astrospheric at 4.8 against Noctis's 2.5. Astrospheric also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 50%) and ratings volume (453 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Astrospheric sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Noctis sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Astrospheric holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astrospheric has 453 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Astrospheric's written reviews are positive against 50% of Noctis's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Astrospheric ships an update every 3 weeks, Noctis every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Astrospheric versus Noctis: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstrosphericNoctis
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (453 ratings) — better2.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews87.7% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings453 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
Best chart rank#62 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS9.1 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB88 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaniel FiordalisAhmet Giray Ucar

Customer experience

Astrospheric

All ratings453 ratings
Positive94.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews146 reviews
Positive87.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative7.5%

Noctis

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Astrospheric

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • App crashing or not loading on some devices
  • Inconsistent temperature and wind data

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Noctis

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Astrospheric

Subscriptions2
  • Astrospheric Pro Subscription7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Astrospheric Pro Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Noctis

Subscriptions2
  • Noctis+ Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Noctis+ Yearly$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Astrospheric free?
Astrospheric is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Noctis free?
Noctis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Astrospheric or Noctis?
Astrospheric is rated higher. Astrospheric averages 4.8 out of 5 from 453 ratings, while Noctis averages 2.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Astrospheric or Noctis have ads?
Neither Astrospheric nor Noctis shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Astrospheric or Noctis?
Astrospheric ships an update every 3 weeks, and Noctis every 2 weeks. Most recently, Astrospheric was updated on October 14, 2026 and Noctis on October 7, 2026.

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