# Solar Eclipse Timer vs Seestar

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Seestar at none against Solar Eclipse Timer's 6. Seestar also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.8). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Solar Eclipse Timer sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Seestar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Seestar holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 560 and 334 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Solar Eclipse Timer's written reviews are positive against 62% of Seestar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Solar Eclipse Timer | Seestar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (560 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-eclipse-timer/id1203105865/reviews) | **[4.2 (334 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seestar/id6447429891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **560** | 334 |
| Positive reviews | **68.4% of reviews** | 61.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 231 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Foxwood Astronomy, LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1180239027) | [SuZhou ZWO Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1367782033) |

## What reviewers say

### Solar Eclipse Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solar-eclipse-timer/id1203105865)

This app provides precise countdowns and reminders for solar eclipse phenomena, aiding both casual observers and photographers. It works offline and offers features like automatic partial-phase image timing and a dedicated photographer mode.

**Highlights:** Offline eclipse timing, Precise contact time calculation, Photographer mode, Automatic partial-phase image timing, Geolocation and manual coordinate entry, Audio and notification tests

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total - 7/2/19; Chile, Argenti | $1.99 | one-time |
| Total - 12/14/20; Chile, Argen | $1.99 | one-time |
| Total – 12/4/21; Antarctica | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hybrid – 4/20/23; Australia | $1.99 | one-time |
| Total – 4/8/24; USA, Mexico | $1.99 | one-time |
| Solar Eclipse Timer | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate timing and announcements
- 👍 Enhanced eclipse viewing experience
- 🎉 Worked flawlessly for 2017 and 2024 eclipses
- 💡 Helpful for photographers and non-photographers
- 🔊 Useful audio cues and prompts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🔍 Confusing or cluttered user interface
- 🔋 Audio prompts not working in some cases
- 🗺️ Inaccurate location detection or totality information

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing when loading timing data
- Notifications not working when camera is in use
- Incorrect contact times displayed for some locations

**Requested features**

- Customizable reminders or timers
- Automatic time zone and location updates
- Lunar eclipse support
- Improved onboarding and tutorial
- Countdown timer with graphical depiction


### Seestar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seestar/id6447429891)

Explore the universe with a smart telescope that simplifies stargazing. Automatically find, focus, and capture celestial objects without professional guidance. Observe stars, the sun, and even landscapes with intuitive app control.

**Highlights:** Wireless control of telescope, Automatic celestial object finding and tracking, Solar observation with filter, Scenery mode for terrestrial viewing, Built-in sky atlas and encyclopedia, Stargazing index and recommendations, Share observations with community

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Continuous updates
- 💡 Great value for money
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Excellent image quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Firmware updates causing issues
- 🐛 Connectivity problems
- 🐛 Tracking and stability issues
- 🔋 Battery life concerns
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Firmware update cycle preventing settings changes
- Tracking errors and star trailing issues
- App crashing on startup
- Inability to connect to telescope
- Forced firmware updates during use

**Requested features**

- Add equatorial mode support
- Provide fine control of exposure time
- Implement mosaic mode for wider FOV
- Add support for iPad landscape mode
- Integrate with other astronomy apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Solar Eclipse Timer free?

Solar Eclipse Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Seestar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Solar Eclipse Timer or Seestar?

Seestar is rated higher. Solar Eclipse Timer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 560 ratings, while Seestar averages 4.2 from 334 ratings.

### Do Solar Eclipse Timer or Seestar have ads?

Neither Solar Eclipse Timer nor Seestar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Solar Eclipse Timer or Seestar?

Solar Eclipse Timer ships an update monthly, and Seestar monthly. Most recently, Solar Eclipse Timer was updated on September 20, 2026 and Seestar on September 22, 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.*