# SynScan Pro vs Planetary Compass

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Planetary Compass at 100% against SynScan Pro's 22%. Planetary Compass also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and monetization model (ad-supported vs paid). SynScan Pro's advantage is rating (2.6 vs 1.8) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SynScan Pro holds the better App Store score, 2.6 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SynScan Pro has 51 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 22% of SynScan Pro's written reviews are positive against 100% of Planetary Compass's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SynScan Pro ships an update every 2 months, Planetary Compass every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SynScan Pro | Planetary Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.6 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synscan-pro/id1302270121/reviews)** | [1.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-compass/id1665242068/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 21.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 46 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Astropower Technology Co. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787940478) | [Gaston Sobrevilla](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580321667) |

## What reviewers say

### SynScan Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synscan-pro/id1302270121)

Control motorized telescope mounts for celestial observation and astrophotography. Features include precise slewing, alignment, GOTO, and tracking of stars, planets, and deep-sky objects. Supports advanced functions like polar alignment and camera triggering.

**Highlights:** Control telescope mount (slew, align, GOTO, track), Point and Track celestial objects, Gamepad navigation support, Catalog of celestial objects, Third-party app integration (ASCOM, SkySafari), Polar alignment (with or without polar scope), Camera shutter release control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Planetary Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-compass/id1665242068)

Discover the location of planets in the night sky. This app helps you identify celestial bodies like Mars and Jupiter, indicating their position, altitude, and magnitude. It also informs you if a planet is visible without optical aid.

**Highlights:** Indicates Azimuth, Altitude, and Magnitude, Helps locate planets by rotating phone, Indicates naked-eye visibility, Identifies planets like Mars and Jupiter

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SynScan Pro free?

SynScan Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planetary Compass free?

Planetary Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SynScan Pro or Planetary Compass?

SynScan Pro is rated higher. SynScan Pro averages 2.6 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Planetary Compass averages 1.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do SynScan Pro or Planetary Compass have ads?

Planetary Compass shows ads; SynScan Pro does not.

### Which is updated more often, SynScan Pro or Planetary Compass?

SynScan Pro ships an update every 2 months, and Planetary Compass every 6 days. Most recently, SynScan Pro was updated on July 4, 2026 and Planetary Compass on September 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.*