# SkySafari vs Lunar Eclipse Guide

The clearest difference is ads: SkySafari at none against Lunar Eclipse Guide's shown. SkySafari also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 42%) and ratings volume (18K vs 778). Lunar Eclipse Guide's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On rating, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

SkySafari costs $0.99 and Lunar Eclipse Guide $1.99 up front. SkySafari sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Lunar Eclipse Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for SkySafari against 4.6 for Lunar Eclipse Guide. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkySafari has 18K ratings behind it against 778, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of SkySafari's written reviews are positive against 42% of Lunar Eclipse Guide's.

SkySafari ships an update monthly, Lunar Eclipse Guide every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkySafari | Lunar Eclipse Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari/id1257281849/reviews)** | [4.6 (778 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lunar-eclipse-guide-aug-2728/id1445813795/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 778 |
| Positive reviews | **63.7% of reviews** | 42.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | — |
| Size | 859 MB | 239 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simulation Curriculum Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/791341744) | [Vito Technology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289641503) |

## What reviewers say

### SkySafari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari/id1257281849)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

This powerful pocket planetarium helps you explore the night sky. Identify celestial objects by pointing your device, view astrophotography, and plan your stargazing with real-time visibility information. Offers guided tours and pronunciation guides for a comprehensive learning experience.

**Highlights:** Point and identify stars, planets, and constellations, Explore astrophotography in the Image Gallery, View real-time sky visibility in 'Sky Tonight', Simulate the sky across time and locations, Access guided audio tours and pronunciation guides, Night Vision mode for dark observation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkySafari Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| SkySafari Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Apollo Lunar Missions | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly
- 🚀 Accurate sky mapping
- 🌌 Detailed information on celestial objects
- 💡 Helpful for stargazing and astronomy
- 🔭 Useful for telescope owners

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🤑 Excessive upselling and in-app purchases
- 🤯 Confusing version and feature differences
- 🙄 Intrusive notifications and sounds
- 🤔 Difficult to use some features

**Reported bugs**

- Compass not working correctly
- Disappearing or missing objects
- Time travel feature issues
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to hide toolbar and UI elements
- More customization options
- Improved telescope integration
- Better comet and new object tracking


### Lunar Eclipse Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lunar-eclipse-guide-aug-2728/id1445813795)

Plan and experience solar and lunar eclipses with detailed information, simulations, and observation tools. Discover past and future events, view visibility maps, and receive timely notifications.

**Highlights:** Eclipse calendar, Observing from any location, Eclipse simulation, World map with eclipse path, Visibility gradation map, Best observation places, Notifications

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced Eclipse Calendar | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fantastic app
- 🔍 Excellent simulation
- 💡 Great for planning eclipses
- 🌟 Superb app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 💰 Hidden charges
- 🔔 Excessive notifications
- 🗺️ Poor map quality
- 🤖 Useless for planning

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect eclipse visibility information
- Simulation stops at GMT midnight
- Localisation issues
- Crashes during use

**Requested features**

- Add more future eclipses
- Allow custom location saving
- Implement landscape mode
- Expand date range for historical eclipses
- Add ability to scrub timeline


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkySafari free?

SkySafari costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Lunar Eclipse Guide free?

Lunar Eclipse Guide costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SkySafari or Lunar Eclipse Guide?

SkySafari is rated higher. SkySafari averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Lunar Eclipse Guide averages 4.6 from 778 ratings.

### Do SkySafari or Lunar Eclipse Guide have ads?

Lunar Eclipse Guide shows ads; SkySafari does not.

### Which is updated more often, SkySafari or Lunar Eclipse Guide?

SkySafari ships an update monthly, and Lunar Eclipse Guide every 3 months. Most recently, SkySafari was updated on September 25, 2026 and Lunar Eclipse Guide on September 24, 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.*