# Compass vs Star Tracker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Compass at 67% against Star Tracker's 0%. Compass also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Compass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Star Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Compass holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 2.4K ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Compass's written reviews are positive against 0% of Star Tracker's.

Compass ships an update every 7 months, Star Tracker every 41 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Compass | Star Tracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-professional/id1289069674/reviews)** | [4.2 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-tracker-night-sky-map/id1639492546/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 126 |
| Positive reviews | **66.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 7 months** | Every 41 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 107 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Bohl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1075788156) | [Nalin Savaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248252947) |

## What reviewers say

### Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compass-professional/id1289069674)

This app helps you navigate by displaying your direction on a compass, overlayed on a satellite or map view. It provides your street address, GPS coordinates, and altitude, along with What3Words coordinates for precise location identification.

**Highlights:** Compass direction display, Satellite and map view overlay, Street address and GPS coordinates, Altitude display, What3Words coordinates, Zoom functionality, Accuracy indicator

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AdFree and Widgets for 1 month | $0.99 | per month |
| 3 months ad-free + Widgets | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 year Ad Free + Widgets | $4.99 | per year |
| Ad Free without limits | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate compass
- 👍 Useful features like location and elevation
- 🗺️ Detailed map overlay
- 🔍 Precise direction indication

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compass direction inaccurate
- 🌐 Issues with non-English language support
- 💢 Annoying ads
- 🤔 Calibration problems

**Reported bugs**

- Compass direction completely off
- App crashes on launch
- Barometric pressure widget not working
- Location tracking issues

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads
- Customizable compass display
- Improved calibration controls
- Support for imperial units


### Star Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-tracker-night-sky-map/id1639492546)

Explore the night sky in real-time by pointing your device upwards. Identify stars, planets, constellations, and satellites with an easy-to-use interface. Discover celestial events and a vast collection of deep sky objects.

**Highlights:** Real-time celestial object identification, Accurate night sky simulation, Extensive database of stars and planets, Satellite tracking (ISS included), Simulation of landscape and atmosphere, Information on meteor showers and celestial events

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| star tracker night one week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| star tracker night one year | $29.99 | per year |
| Star Tracker - Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Compass free?

Compass is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Star Tracker free?

Star Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Compass or Star Tracker?

Compass is rated higher. Compass averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while Star Tracker averages 4.2 from 126 ratings.

### Do Compass or Star Tracker have ads?

Star Tracker shows ads; Compass does not.

### Which is updated more often, Compass or Star Tracker?

Compass ships an update every 7 months, and Star Tracker every 41 months. Most recently, Compass was updated on October 21, 2026 and Star Tracker 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.*