Comparison

Star Map Tracker vs SkyWindow

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

Head to head
About

Star Map Tracker

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
Read full description

Star Map Tracker is an impressive stargazing augmented reality app boasting a database of over 3,000 stars and constellations. This app not only provides guidance through the vast majority of known stars but also furnishes essential information such as right ascension, declination, azimuth, elevation, and more. Whether you aim to align your telescope or simply desire to point your device at the sky for star, constellation, nebula, galaxy, and solar system object identification, this app caters to your needs, functioning as a proficient star finder and augmented reality map of celestial bodies, offering real-time information about them. Immerse yourself in a captivating night stars safari by finding an open space, taking a stroll, and lifting your device to behold the mesmerizing night sky view. The Star Map app serves as an exceptional tracker for all celestial objects, essentially placing a sky object seeker right in your pocket. Key Features: - Augmented reality view of celestial bodies - 88 constellations depicted with their shapes - Over 3,000 actual stars accompanied by detailed descriptions - Ability to search by star/constellation name, HD, HR, HIP - Real-time position of stars/constellations in the sky - Inclusion of the entire solar system (consisting of 9 planets, Sun, and Moon) - Realistic lighting, shadows, and planet textures - Milky Way galaxy background enriched with precise spatial positioning - Compass calibration facilitated using the moon, sun, or cardinal points In-App Purchase: - Enhanced access to names and information of over 3,000 stars (by default, only star information for zodiac constellations is available) - Expanded access to 74 constellations (only 14 are available by default: 12 Zodiac constellations, Ursa Minor, and Ursa Major) - Detailed inclusions of the solar system (encompassing 9 planets; Moon and Sun are available by default)

About

SkyWindow

Features
Read full description

SkyWindow – Smart Planning for Astronomy & Astrophotography Many astronomy and astrophotography enthusiasts do not observe under perfect skies. Buildings, balconies, windows, and trees often limit the visible sky area. SkyWindow was designed exactly for these situations. SkyWindow helps you efficiently plan observations and astrophotography sessions based on your real visible sky window β€” ideal for smart telescopes and mobile observing setups. Whether you observe from a balcony, garden, rooftop window, or travel location, SkyWindow helps you determine when celestial objects become visible and worth capturing. Features β€’ Tonight Quick access to the best observing opportunities for the current night, including visibility, timing, and sky conditions. β€’ Catalogs Browse supported astronomy catalogs, inspect object details, and jump directly into observation planning. β€’ Comet Hunter Plan observations for comets and asteroids with focus on motion, visibility, and timing. β€’ Sites Manage observing locations such as balconies, gardens, windows, or remote travel sites. β€’ Planner Build structured observation plans based on visibility windows, altitude, azimuth, and timing. β€’ Mosaic Planner Prepare mosaic imaging projects for large deep-sky objects and advanced framing work. β€’ Sky Journey Your personal observing journal with saved sessions, captured targets, favorites, retries, and observing history. Built for Modern Astronomy SkyWindow is designed for modern smart telescopes and efficient observation planning, especially for observers with limited sky visibility. Perfect for: β€’ Smart telescopes β€’ Balcony astronomy β€’ Window observing β€’ Mobile astrophotography β€’ Travel observing β€’ Deep-sky planning Plan smarter. Use your sky window efficiently. Explore the night sky with SkyWindow. SkyWindow is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese.

Screenshots

Star Map Tracker4 screens
SkyWindow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Star Map Tracker at Free against SkyWindow's $4.99. Star Map Tracker also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.2). SkyWindow's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Star Map Tracker is free to download; SkyWindow costs $4.99 up front. Star Map Tracker sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. SkyWindow asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Star Map Tracker ships an update every 5 months, SkyWindow every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 4 level
Star Map Tracker versus SkyWindow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStar Map TrackerSkyWindow
PriceFree β€” better$4.99
Positive reviews28.6% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesβ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 β€” better26.2
Further details β€” not scored
Size107 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuriy KvashaDung Le

Bugs and requests

Star Map Tracker

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Map is disoriented
  • Stars and planets do not track movement
  • Calibration does not stick
  • App freezes
  • App always points north
Show 6 more
  • Compass is off by degrees
  • Stars constantly shifting
  • App shows incorrect directions
  • GPS is way off
  • App doesn't work on iPhone X
  • AR is useless as camera can't see stars

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add search functionality for stars
  • Include planets in the free version
  • Improve compass synchronization
  • Add language options
  • Show horizon line
Show 2 more
  • Display star sizes/visibility
  • Provide more detailed information on planets

SkyWindow

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Star Map Tracker

One-time3
  • Stars & Constellations$1.99
  • Planets$1.99
  • Premium$2.99
None

SkyWindow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Star Map Tracker free?
Star Map Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SkyWindow free?
SkyWindow costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Star Map Tracker or SkyWindow have ads?
Neither Star Map Tracker nor SkyWindow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Star Map Tracker or SkyWindow?
Star Map Tracker ships an update every 5 months, and SkyWindow every 5 days. Most recently, Star Map Tracker was updated on October 20, 2026 and SkyWindow on October 18, 2026.

Other comparisons