# SkySafari vs AsterScope

The clearest difference is chart position: SkySafari at #9 against AsterScope's unranked. AsterScope's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $4.99). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

SkySafari costs $4.99 and AsterScope $3.99 up front. SkySafari sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and AsterScope sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkySafari | AsterScope |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari/id1257281849/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 63.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#9** | — |
| Size | 859 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simulation Curriculum Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/791341744) | [红斌 戚](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854607141) |

## What reviewers say

### SkySafari

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

**Currently charting:** #9 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


### AsterScope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asterscope/id6762000638)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Catalog Upgrade | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ad-Free Catalog Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkySafari free?

SkySafari costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is AsterScope free?

AsterScope costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Do SkySafari or AsterScope have ads?

Neither SkySafari nor AsterScope shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SkySafari or AsterScope?

SkySafari ships an update monthly, and AsterScope monthly. Most recently, SkySafari was updated on October 24, 2026 and AsterScope on October 15, 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.*