# ISS Detector vs Space Station Tracker

ISS Detector and Space Station Tracker both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 56% of ISS Detector's written reviews are positive against 0% of Space Station Tracker's. ISS Detector also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 38 months) and ratings volume (569 vs 4). Space Station Tracker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ISS Detector sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Space Station Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ISS Detector against 4.5 for Space Station Tracker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ISS Detector has 569 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 56% of ISS Detector's written reviews are positive against 0% of Space Station Tracker's.

ISS Detector ships an update monthly, Space Station Tracker every 38 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ISS Detector | Space Station Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (569 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-detector/id1198597805/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-station-tracker/id1673123826/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **569** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **56.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 38 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 31 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Derk Vrijdag](https://appshunter.io/developer/1198597804) | [Jaimeson Bilodeau](https://appshunter.io/developer/426891054) |

## What reviewers say

### ISS Detector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-detector/id1198597805)

Easily track the International Space Station and other satellites. Receive timely alarms before passes and get weather condition checks for optimal viewing. Enhance functionality with optional in-app purchases to discover more celestial objects.

**Highlights:** ISS tracking and alerts, Weather condition checks, Alarm notifications, Track Starlink trains, Track Hubble telescope, Track amateur radio satellites

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access | $0.99 | per month |
| Donation | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Access | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Access | $2.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $5.99 | per year |
| Donation | $5.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $11.99 | per year |
| Starlink and Famous objects | $3.99 | one-time |
| Amateur Radio Satellites | $3.99 | one-time |
| Comets and Planets | $3.99 | one-time |
| Combo package | $5.99 | one-time |


### Space Station Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-station-tracker/id1673123826)

Follow the International Space Station's live location on a globe and get alerts for visible flyovers at your exact location. Features a compass view to help you spot it in the sky.

**Highlights:** Real-time ISS location tracking, Globe view with orbital trajectory, Upcoming visible flyover alerts, GPS-based viewing calculations, Compass view for sky spotting, Azimuth and elevation details

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ISS Detector free?

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

### Is Space Station Tracker free?

Space Station Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ISS Detector or Space Station Tracker?

ISS Detector is rated higher. ISS Detector averages 4.6 out of 5 from 569 ratings, while Space Station Tracker averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do ISS Detector or Space Station Tracker have ads?

ISS Detector shows ads; Space Station Tracker does not.

### Which is updated more often, ISS Detector or Space Station Tracker?

ISS Detector ships an update monthly, and Space Station Tracker every 38 months. Most recently, ISS Detector was updated on September 24, 2026 and Space Station Tracker on September 17, 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.*