Comparison

Astro Tools vs Simple Qibla Compass 3D

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Astro Tools

Features
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Every astronomy tool, in a single app. Astro Tools brings together the astronomy tools from Polar Scope Align Pro and Xasteria, while adding new tools including an Augmented Reality Sky Planner, Astro Camera, Plate Solver and a Digital Finderscope. It is a complete toolkit for amateur astronomers: plan the night, find targets, aim a telescope, check the weather, follow satellites, calculate an imaging setup and explore the sky - all from one app. PLAN THE NIGHT SKY Use any date, time and location to plan ahead. Browse Moon phases by month, with Moon and Sun rise, set and altitude graphs plus twilight times. Compare astronomy-focused forecasts for cloud layers, seeing, transparency, wind and precipitation, or use the Multi forecast to combine 7Timer’s astronomy data with MET Norway or Apple Weather forecasts. Check aurora forecasts, light pollution, animated satellite cloud maps, and the visibility of the ISS and other bright satellites. WIDGETS Keep essential observing information on your Home Screen. Widgets provide astronomy weather forecasts, aurora conditions and upcoming satellite passes. FIND AND OBSERVE Explore more than 22,000 deep-sky objects, stars and Solar System targets. Search, filter and create observing lists, then see object details and altitude charts. Turn a manual telescope into a Push-To system: attach your phone, select a target and follow live arrows. Sync on a known star or use star-hopping for improved accuracy. Digital Finderscope provides a live, zoomable sky map that follows your phone and guides you to a selected target. SEE THE SKY IN AUGMENTED REALITY AR Sky Planner overlays a star chart on your live camera view. Move through time to see where targets will be above the horizon or behind landmarks, whether you are planning an observing session or a nightscape photograph. CAPTURE, EDIT AND PLATE-SOLVE ASTROPHOTOS Astro Camera offers manual controls for photos and time-lapses, Star Trail mode with optional fading, and Deep Stack / Long Exposure mode to align and stack images taken with a tripod or tracker. Star Assist measures a selected star live to help you focus, while an optional sky overlay helps frame your shot. Photo Editor opens JPEG, TIFF, RAW and FITS images, or an Astro Camera stack. Develop RAW photos, adjust exposure, curves, colour and detail, crop and export. Plate Solver identifies stars in a photo to find its sky coordinates, field of view and orientation. Overlay constellation lines and object labels on the image. ALIGN, MEASURE AND CONTROL Polar-align a star tracker or equatorial mount without a polar scope, even in daylight. Start with the compass or calibrate using the camera on the Sun, Moon or stars. Use Laser / Hop Align when the pole star is obstructed, measure level and tilt, inspect GPS and sensor data, or control compatible WiFi mounts (iOptron, Pegasus Nyx and more). FOR OBSERVERS AND IMAGERS More than 30 calculators cover observing and astrophotography, with shared inputs and remembered values for quick comparisons. Find and simulate solar eclipses for your exact location, and use tools for field of view, magnification, exposure, focal length, image scale and more. Whether you observe with binoculars, a manual telescope, a GoTo mount or an imaging rig, Astro Tools keeps the information and practical tools you need close at hand. Many tools are completely free, for the rest there is a single Pro subscription with a free trial. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Simple Qibla Compass 3D

Find the direction of Mecca with a simple, accurate, and privacy-focused compass. It offers offline functionality, multiple themes, and accessibility features like VoiceOver. An Apple Watch companion app is also available.

Highlights
  • Privacy-first location handling
  • Accurate Qibla direction calculation
  • Offline functionality
  • 8 elegant theme options
  • VoiceOver support
  • Apple Watch companion app
  • Multilingual support
Features
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Find the direction of the Kaaba with a beautiful 3D Qibla compass. At home or travelling, see which way to turn for prayer, even without an internet connection. No ads, accounts or subscriptions. • A floating 3D compass that responds as you tilt your device, alongside the classic compass view. • Clear direction, distance to Mecca and a visual cue when you face the Qibla. Gentle alignment haptics on iPhone. • Offline direction calculation using your device’s location and compass. Your last location is saved for offline use. • Eight themes: Midnight, Desert Sand, Parchment, Ocean, Pure, Emerald, Rose Gold and Slate. • Scenic backgrounds from daylight to a starry sky, with a living sky that follows your local time. • Qibla direction on your wrist with the Apple Watch companion. • VoiceOver support and layouts for iPhone and iPad. Your location stays on your device. No account is required. Available in English, Arabic, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu.

Screenshots

Astro Tools4 screens
Simple Qibla Compass 3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Astro Tools at 5.0 against Simple Qibla Compass 3D's 4.0. Astro Tools also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). Simple Qibla Compass 3D's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Astro Tools sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Simple Qibla Compass 3D asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Astro Tools holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Astro Tools ships an update every 2 weeks, Simple Qibla Compass 3D every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Astro Tools versus Simple Qibla Compass 3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstro ToolsSimple Qibla Compass 3D
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDimitrios KechagiasSUPER SIMPLE LEARNING LTD

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Astro Tools

Subscriptions3
  • Astro Tools Pro Monthly3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Astro Tools Pro 6 Months3 Days trial$2.996 Months
  • Astro Tools Pro Annual3 Days trial$4.991 Year
None

Simple Qibla Compass 3D

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Astro Tools free?
Astro Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Qibla Compass 3D free?
Simple Qibla Compass 3D is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Astro Tools or Simple Qibla Compass 3D?
Astro Tools is rated higher. Astro Tools averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Simple Qibla Compass 3D averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Astro Tools or Simple Qibla Compass 3D have ads?
Neither Astro Tools nor Simple Qibla Compass 3D shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Astro Tools or Simple Qibla Compass 3D?
Astro Tools ships an update every 2 weeks, and Simple Qibla Compass 3D every 2 months. Most recently, Astro Tools was updated on November 1, 2026 and Simple Qibla Compass 3D on October 18, 2026.

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