Comparison

StarryCamera2 vs Nightcam Camera

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

Head to head
About

StarryCamera2

Capture stunning night sky photos with this advanced camera app. It offers multiple shooting modes like Starry Sky, Star Trails, and Milky Way, allowing you to adjust ISO and shutter speed for professional results.

Highlights
  • Starry sky mode
  • Star trails mode
  • Milky way mode
  • Night view mode
  • Lighten mode
  • Adjustable ISO and Shutter Speed
Read full description

This camera app is designed to help you take beautiful photos of the stars with your iPhone. Why not try shooting star trails with your iPhone? ### How to Use 1. Go to a location with low temperatures where stars are clearly visible. 2. Secure your iPhone on a tripod or similar mount (this is the most important step). 3. Select a shooting mode. 4. Adjust brightness using shutter speed and ISO sensitivity. 5. Press the shutter button. ### Mode Features Starry Sky: Makes bright stars stand out; captures the scene close to how the naked eye sees it. Star Trails: For capturing star trail photos (shooting for 30 minutes creates a distinct star trail effect). Milky Way: For capturing the Milky Way and fine stars with sharp clarity. Night View: For when you want no processing; produces low-noise images. Lighten Composite: Uses lighten compositing (ideal for fireflies, fireworks, light trails, etc.). ### Fine-Tuning Focus 1. Position a bright star (such as a first- or second-magnitude star) in the center of the screen. 2. Press the focus button to zoom in; use the slider for coarse adjustment, then use the stepper controls to find the position where the star appears smallest. 3. If it is difficult to tell, try shooting with different focus positions and compare the results. ### About Star Trail Mode Unlike other modes, Star Trail Mode and Lighten Composite Mode do not allow brightness adjustments via shutter speed; please adjust the brightness using ISO sensitivity instead. To minimize errors, start with a 120-second test shot to adjust settings like ISO sensitivity before proceeding to the actual 1,800- or 3,600-second exposure. The "Starry Sky" mode is suitable for urban astrophotography, as it allows you to capture images in locations where long exposures might otherwise result in an overexposed, washed-out white image. Including statues or monuments in the frame can create impressive, visually striking photos. Using flimsy holders or tripods can cause the star trails to blur, so I recommend using sturdy, high-quality equipment. In "Star Trail" mode, the background is smoothed out via "Lighten Composite" (stacking) processing; this improves the visual quality, even on cameras with small, noise-prone sensors like those found in iPhones. Including the North Star enhances the swirling effect but results in shorter trails. Pointing the camera east (or elsewhere) eliminates the swirling look but produces longer trails. Choose whichever style you prefer. During a meteor shower, a one-hour star trail exposure might capture two or three shooting stars. For "Star Trail" mode, I recommend setting the light duration to "Middle Only." ### About Watermarks The default setting displays the app's name; please customize this with your handle or account name to protect your copyright. ### Recommended Method for Star Trail Photos with Cars 1. Start by selecting the ISO setting one step below the maximum. 2. In the settings, select "Middle Only" for the light duration. 3. Set the light intensity to "Medium" on the shooting screen. 4. Set the shutter speed to 120 seconds and take a few test shots to adjust the ISO sensitivity and light intensity. If the entire image is too bright, lower the ISO sensitivity; if it is too dark, raise it. If the car illuminated by the light is too bright, lower the light intensity; if it is too dark, raise it. 5. Once the ISO and light settings are finalized, set the shutter speed to 1800 seconds for the actual shot. Initially, you can leave the focus at the default setting of 0.0; however, once you get the hang of it, pressing the focus button to ensure precise focusing will result in sharper star trails and higher-quality photos.

About

Nightcam Camera

This manual camera app excels at capturing stunning day and night photos with advanced features. It offers automatic and manual modes, specialized night modes for various scenes, and adaptive tools for perfect compositions. Enhance clarity and preserve details for professional-grade results.

Highlights
  • Automatic and Manual camera modes
  • Specialized night modes (Northern Lights, Moon, Stars)
  • Long exposure up to 30 seconds
  • Focus peaking and loupe
  • Adaptive exposure and AI enhancer
  • RAW photo capture
  • Tripod mode
Features
Read full description

Nightcam is a perfect manual camera app for shooting the gorgeous day and night photos on any iPhone. Nightcam not only presents a good algorithm for night photography but also provides one of the best user experiences. We basically try to think about all the demands a user wants while trying to catch the best scenes of travel plans or any other good memories. DOWNLOADED BY OVER 1M+ USERS ************************************ "Everyone I do like this camera it really does a good job even on auto all night" by Darlene .Smith "This app gives off the perfect amount of long exposure to get a nicely lit photo, even on my iPhone XR the photos look as if they were short on an 11 or more. I love how natural the colours stay too." by fjsjvnevokavjslve "I like this app! I can finally have night mode in my phone for a minimal size app, not space consuming.. Please continue doing upgrades" by CHRYS0808 "Unbelievably great!! You can say goodbye to all the noise in the night shots." niloofar.k ************************************ TWO MODES, LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES Nightcam offers two distinct approaches to photography. Its Automatic Mode instantly analyzes the scene, setting the optimal parameters for exceptional day and night shots—perfect for capturing fleeting moments. On the other hand, Manual Mode unlocks advanced controls, enabling you to refine exposure duration, ISO, and white balance. Combined with powerful tools like focus peaking, histograms, grids, and a stability visualizer, you have all you need to frame professional-grade compositions. NEW VIDEO AND TIME LAPSE Nightcam now goes beyond still photography with entirely new Video and Time Lapse experiences. Record video in Standard, Night, and Moon modes with manual controls, HDR, low-light processing, audio monitoring, and torch support. Create Time Lapse videos with adjustable speeds, Long Exposure, and Light Trails. SPECIALIZED NIGHT MODES FOR EVERY SCENE This latest update introduces dedicated night modes, each crafted for specific low-light conditions: Northern Lights Mode: Capture breathtaking auroras with clarity and depth. Moon Mode: Highlight lunar details and subtle lunar glow. Night Auto: Let the app handle the settings for stress-free night shooting. Night HDR: Enhance contrast, detail, and depth in challenging low-light scenarios. Night RAW: Preserve every detail in uncompressed form for ultimate editing flexibility. Stars Mode: Turn starry skies into dazzling constellations of light. Long Exposure (up to 30s): Create dramatic light trails and capture scenes impossible to see with the naked eye. ADAPTIVE TOOLS FOR PERFECT COMPOSITIONS Nightcam integrates intuitive features to ensure every shot meets your vision: Focus Peaking & Focus Loupe: Fine-tune manual focus effortlessly. Adaptive Exposure: Seamlessly balance brightness and detail. Grid & Level Tool: Achieve perfect symmetry and alignment. Tripod Mode: Stabilize your device for sharp, blur-free images. Night AI Enhancer: Improve clarity in dim conditions, even post-capture. POWERFUL COMPUTATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY Under the hood, Nightcam employs advanced algorithms and countless experiments to enhance low-light performance. ADDITIONAL FEATURES AI-based low-light image enhancement High-quality image capture options Self-timer, torch, geotagging for situational convenience Real-time histogram and preview analysis RAW mode with advanced controls Intelligent post-processing for true-to-life colors and contrast With Nightcam, every scene—from a bustling city at dusk to a serene, starry sky—becomes a masterpiece waiting to be captured. Nightcam Pro Subscription Access all features of Nightcam with Nightcam Pro. Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually at the rate selected depending on the subscription plan. - Terms of use: https://www.rayinformatics.com/terms - Privacy policy: https://www.rayinformatics.com/privacy CONTACT - Visit rayinformatics.com/contact for support and feedback.

Screenshots

StarryCamera24 screens
Nightcam Camera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Nightcam Camera at Free against StarryCamera2's $4.99. Nightcam Camera also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 10). StarryCamera2's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (48% vs 23%). On update cadence, 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

Nightcam Camera is free to download; StarryCamera2 costs $4.99 up front. Nightcam Camera sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. StarryCamera2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nightcam Camera holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nightcam Camera has 2.6K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of StarryCamera2's written reviews are positive against 23% of Nightcam Camera's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StarryCamera2 ships an update monthly, Nightcam Camera every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
StarryCamera2 versus Nightcam Camera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarryCamera2Nightcam Camera
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating3.6 (10 ratings)4.1 (2.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews48.1% of reviews — better22.8% of reviews
Number of ratings102.6K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB225 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer康行 NagasimaRAY INFORMATICS YAZILIM TEKNOLOJI MEDYA DANISMANLIK VE EGITIM TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI

Customer experience

StarryCamera2

All ratings10 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive48.1%
Neutral18.5%
Negative33.3%

Nightcam Camera

All ratings2,560 ratings
Positive75.5%
Neutral5.8%
Negative18.7%
Written reviews303 reviews
Positive22.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative69.0%

Bugs and requests

StarryCamera2

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Nightcam Camera

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Photos not saving
  • Glitchy photo album access
  • Inconsistent performance

Requested features

4 requests
  • Longer exposure time
  • Manual camera controls
  • Raw image support
  • Video recording

In-app purchases

None

StarryCamera2

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Nightcam Camera

Subscriptions4
  • Nightcam Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Nightcam Pro Yearly3 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Nightcam Pro Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Nightcam AI Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Nightcam Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is StarryCamera2 free?
StarryCamera2 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nightcam Camera free?
Nightcam Camera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StarryCamera2 or Nightcam Camera?
Nightcam Camera is rated higher. StarryCamera2 averages 3.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Nightcam Camera averages 4.1 from 2.6K ratings.
Do StarryCamera2 or Nightcam Camera have ads?
Neither StarryCamera2 nor Nightcam Camera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StarryCamera2 or Nightcam Camera?
StarryCamera2 ships an update monthly, and Nightcam Camera every 3 weeks. Most recently, StarryCamera2 was updated on October 26, 2026 and Nightcam Camera on October 26, 2026.

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