# ISS Detector vs Zenith

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zenith at none against ISS Detector's 9. Zenith also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). ISS Detector's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (740 vs 5). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ISS Detector sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Zenith asks for nothing beyond the download.

Zenith holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ISS Detector has 740 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ISS Detector ships an update monthly, Zenith every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ISS Detector | Zenith |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (740 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iss-detector/id1198597805/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenith-iss-live-tracker/id6630373131/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **740** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 35 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Derk Vrijdag](https://appshunter.io/developer/1198597804) | [Aurelien Grifasi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143814442) |

## 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 (7)**

| 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 |


### Zenith

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zenith-iss-live-tracker/id6630373131)

Explore Earth in a 3D simulation and track the International Space Station's real-time orbit. Experience a rotating planet with dynamic soundscapes and see the current number of astronauts on board.

**Highlights:** 3D Earth simulation, Real-time ISS orbit tracking, Live astronaut count, Dynamic soundscapes, Earth rotation view

**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 Zenith free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ISS Detector or Zenith?

Zenith is rated higher. ISS Detector averages 4.6 out of 5 from 740 ratings, while Zenith averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do ISS Detector or Zenith have ads?

ISS Detector shows ads; Zenith does not.

### Which is updated more often, ISS Detector or Zenith?

ISS Detector ships an update monthly, and Zenith every 13 months. Most recently, ISS Detector was updated on November 6, 2026 and Zenith on November 4, 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.*