# Galaxy Map vs Skyview

The clearest difference is ads: Skyview at none against Galaxy Map's shown. Skyview also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 80%) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Galaxy Map sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Skyview sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Galaxy Map against 4.6 for Skyview. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 609 and 323 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Galaxy Map's written reviews are positive against 100% of Skyview's.

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, Skyview every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Galaxy Map | Skyview |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (609 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galaxy-map/id1170905456/reviews) | [4.6 (323 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-explore-universe/id6467397965/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **609** | 323 |
| Positive reviews | 79.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 632 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrei Nistorescu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1048905386) | [Ankur Dhameliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560934425) |

## 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)


### Skyview

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-explore-universe/id6467397965)

Explore the cosmos with this planetarium app. Identify planets, stars, and constellations by pointing your device at the sky. Discover celestial object locations, visualize Earth's day/night zones, and learn detailed information about celestial bodies. Includes an interactive space quiz for premium users.

**Highlights:** Identify planets, stars, and constellations, Real-time stargazing, Interactive star map, Celestial object tracking, Detailed celestial body information, Space quiz

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Plan | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Galaxy Map free?

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

### Is Skyview free?

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

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

Galaxy Map and Skyview are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 609 and 323 ratings respectively.

### Do Galaxy Map or Skyview have ads?

Galaxy Map shows ads; Skyview does not.

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

Galaxy Map ships an update monthly, and Skyview every 2 weeks. Most recently, Galaxy Map was updated on October 16, 2026 and Skyview on October 16, 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.*