SynScan vs AR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SynScan
Control motorized telescope mounts for celestial object tracking and exploration. Features include GOTO functionality, object catalogs, and gamepad navigation. Ideal for novice users with alt-azimuth mounts.
- Control telescope mount slew, align, GOTO, and track
- Point and Track celestial objects
- Support gamepad navigation
- Browse and save celestial object catalogs
- Third-party app integration (ASCOM, SkySafari, Stellarium)
- Emulator mount for testing
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Use the SynScan app to control Sky-Watcher telescope mounts via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth LE. Mounts without built-in Wi-Fi can be supported via a SynScan Wi-Fi adapter. This version of the SynScan app is suited for novice users using alt-azimuth mounts. Features - Control telescope mount to slew, align, GOTO and track. - Point And Track: track celestial objects (including the Sun and planets) without aligning. - Support gamepad navigation. - Browse a catalog of stars, comets, and deep sky objects. Or, save your own objects. - Provide access to mount for use by third-party apps, including ASCOM clients, SkySafari, Luminos, Stellarium Mobile Plus, Stellarium Desktop or customer-developed apps. Also set up mount alignment for Luminos, Skysafari. - Support access to the mount and the SynScan app from any platform that supports TCP/UDP connections. - Provide emulator mount for testing and practicing. - Track fast-moving earth satellites by working with the PreviSat app on Windows PC or the Lumios app on iOS devices.
AR
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Explore the universe at your fingertips. Connect the app to a Bluetooth stand, intelligently control the starry sky map, and accurately search for stars; WIFI camera one click start, capture star tracks, take photos and videos freely. Easily manage astronomical images, share celestial wonders in real-time, and make astronomical exploration more intelligent and convenient.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: AR at every 9 days against SynScan's every 2 months. AR also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SynScan ships an update every 2 months, AR every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SynScan | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (8 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 22.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 232 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Astropower Technology Co. Ltd. | JOC |
In-app purchases
SynScan
No in-app purchases
AR
No in-app purchases
