# Galaxy Map vs Star Map

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Galaxy Map at 80% against Star Map's 20%. Galaxy Map also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.2) and ratings volume (609 vs 6). Star Map's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Star Map asks for nothing beyond the download.

Galaxy Map holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Galaxy Map has 609 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Galaxy Map's written reviews are positive against 20% of Star Map's.

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, Star Map every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Galaxy Map | Star Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (609 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews)** | [2.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-map-explore-the-sky/id1431654092/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **609** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **79.8% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 632 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) | [广东单词世界科教有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807328987) |

## What reviewers say

### Galaxy Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456)

Explore the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies in an interactive 3D map. Discover nebulae, supernovae, and planets, with stunning visuals based on NASA data. Ideal for education and space enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D galaxy map, Explore nebulae and supernovae, Fly through planetary atmospheres, Land on planets, Based on NASA data, Available in 100+ languages

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien Destroyer | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Alien fighter | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy ship - Dragon Frigate | $1.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle - SALE | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Visualization Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle - SALE | $4.99 | one-time |
| Essentials bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ultimate bundle | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌌 Impressive 3D galaxy and nebula visualizations
- 🚀 Spaceship exploration feature with landing capability
- 📚 Educational content about space and astronomy
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- ✨ No ads in free version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessive paywall for most content
- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load
- 🎮 Poor control mechanics for flying and walking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality or unclear controls
- 🌑 Black holes look too similar to each other

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Explore button shows nothing
- Pinch-to-zoom doesn't work
- App won't load on iPad
- Text displays as boxes in language settings

**Requested features**

- Search button to find galaxies and objects
- More diverse and realistic black hole designs
- AR feature to identify stars/planets in real sky
- More free content and objects
- Exoplanet additions (TRAPPIST-1e, J1407B)


### Star Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-map-explore-the-sky/id1431654092)

Explore the night sky with this stargazing app. Point your device to the sky to identify thousands of stars, planets, constellations, and more. It uses your device's sensors and GPS to provide an accurate celestial view.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality sky view, Identify stars, planets, and constellations, Uses device sensors and GPS, Explore thousands of celestial objects, Track ISS and satellites

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Is Star Map free?

Star Map is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Galaxy Map or Star Map?

Galaxy Map is rated higher. Galaxy Map averages 4.6 out of 5 from 609 ratings, while Star Map averages 2.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do Galaxy Map or Star Map have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Star Map does not.

### Which is updated more often, Galaxy Map or Star Map?

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, and Star Map every 3 days. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on October 16, 2026 and Star Map on October 5, 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.*