Comparison

SynScan Pro vs Bolt Hunter

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SynScan Pro

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
Read full description

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 is the Pro version of the SynScan app and contains features suited for expert users using equatorial 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. - Perform polar alignment with or without a polar scope. - Control shutter release (SNAP) port to trigger an attached camera. (Requires mount with SNAP port and adapter cable that matches camera.) - Use ASCOM to perform autoguiding on mounts that do not have autoguider (ST-4) port. - Other mount controls: auto home, PPEC, park.

About

Bolt Hunter

Features
Read full description

Bolt Hunter is a companion app for the Bolt Hunter lightning camera trigger. This app is used to configure and control your Bolt Hunter, allowing you to capture lightning with precise timing and improved reliability. Key Features: - Connect to your Bolt Hunter device via Bluetooth - Adjust sensitivity and trigger settings - Control interval shooting modes - Configure Night Mode and exposure behavior - Calibrate camera shutter lag - Monitor device status and settings in real time - View real-time lightning data to improve your settings Important: This app requires a Bolt Hunter device to function. Hardware is sold separately. Bolt Hunter is designed for photographers who want consistent lightning captures without missed shots, in both daytime and nighttime conditions.

Screenshots

SynScan Pro4 screens
Bolt Hunter4 screens

Verdict

The call

SynScan Pro and Bolt Hunter are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
SynScan Pro versus Bolt Hunter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSynScan ProBolt Hunter
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (51 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews21.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings51 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB94 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAstropower Technology Co. Ltd.Motion Horizons LLC

In-app purchases

None

SynScan Pro

No in-app purchases

None

Bolt Hunter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SynScan Pro free?
SynScan Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bolt Hunter free?
Bolt Hunter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SynScan Pro or Bolt Hunter have ads?
Neither SynScan Pro nor Bolt Hunter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SynScan Pro or Bolt Hunter?
SynScan Pro ships an update every 2 months, and Bolt Hunter every 2 months. Most recently, SynScan Pro was updated on July 4, 2026 and Bolt Hunter on September 15, 2026.

Other comparisons