# Starry Map vs Star Map Tracker

The clearest difference is ads: Star Map Tracker at none against Starry Map's shown. Star Map Tracker also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Starry Map's advantage is review sentiment (62% vs 29%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Starry Map sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Star Map Tracker sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Starry Map ships an update every 2 weeks, Star Map Tracker every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starry Map | Star Map Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (246 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starry-map/id1176591850/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **246** | — |
| Positive reviews | **62.4% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 102 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [にゃんこソフトウェア](https://appshunter.io/developer/1843663669) | [Yuriy Kvasha](https://appshunter.io/developer/488579992) |

## What reviewers say

### Starry Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starry-map/id1176591850)

Identify stars, constellations, and satellites by pointing your phone at the night sky. Augmented reality overlays display celestial names in real-time. Receive notifications for upcoming satellite passes and meteor showers.

**Highlights:** AR celestial identification, Constellation and star catalog, Satellite tracking and alerts, Meteor shower notifications, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Features | $0.99 | per month |
| Unlock Features | $0.99 | per month |
| Unlock Features | $3.99 | per year |
| Unlock Features | $3.99 | per year |
| Unlock Features (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and understand
- ✨ Beautiful and visually appealing interface
- 🔭 AR feature for real-time sky viewing
- 🛰️ Useful for tracking satellites (ISS, Starlink)
- 💡 Informative with links to Wikipedia

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features are paid/locked
- 💸 Increased monetization and paid features
- 📉 Some users feel it was better before monetization
- 🤔 Unclear how to use certain features
- 📱 Inconsistent performance across devices/OS versions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch after updates
- Date/time setting resets to 1970
- Black screen upon opening the app
- Ads not disappearing even after purchase
- App closes when selecting specific objects (e.g., Comet Neowise)

**Requested features**

- Reflect weather and light pollution in star visibility
- Include stories/episodes related to constellations
- Separate 1st to 3rd magnitude stars in display options
- Simplify solar system display for beginners
- Option to hide background stars or make them less prominent


### Star Map Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-map-tracker-sky-journey/id1227311762)

Explore the night sky with this augmented reality stargazing app. Identify stars, constellations, planets, and galaxies in real-time. It provides detailed information and helps you locate celestial objects.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality celestial body view, Identification of over 3,000 stars, Depiction of 88 constellations, Real-time celestial object tracking, Solar system object identification, Compass calibration

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stars & Constellations | $1.99 | one-time |
| Planets | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- ✨ Visually appealing design
- 🌟 Shows constellations
- 🔭 Useful for beginners
- 💡 VR feature is good

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate star/planet positions
- 🧭 Compass calibration issues
- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 💸 Not worth the premium cost
- 🚫 Free version is too limited

**Reported bugs**

- Map is disoriented
- Stars and planets do not track movement
- Calibration does not stick
- App freezes
- App always points north

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality for stars
- Include planets in the free version
- Improve compass synchronization
- Add language options
- Show horizon line


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starry Map free?

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

### Is Star Map Tracker free?

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

### Do Starry Map or Star Map Tracker have ads?

Starry Map shows ads; Star Map Tracker does not.

### Which is updated more often, Starry Map or Star Map Tracker?

Starry Map ships an update every 2 weeks, and Star Map Tracker every 5 months. Most recently, Starry Map was updated on October 17, 2026 and Star Map Tracker on October 10, 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.*