# lustar vs Sky Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: lustar at none against Sky Planner's 2. lustar also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). Sky Planner's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 96 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sky Planner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. lustar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sky Planner holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of lustar's written reviews are positive against 100% of Sky Planner's.

lustar ships an update every 96 months, Sky Planner every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | lustar | Sky Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lustar/id1327570819/reviews) | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sky-planner-darkscout/id6760223860/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 96 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 191 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [THIRSTY FISH LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/962673258) | [Sebastian Mraz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883345914) |

## What reviewers say

### lustar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lustar/id1327570819)

This app provides hourly stargazing forecasts by combining local weather predictions with light pollution data. It features a searchable global map to help users find optimal viewing locations.

**Highlights:** Hourly stargazing forecasts, Light pollution data integration, Searchable world map, Local weather forecasts, Optimal viewing location finder

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sky Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sky-planner-darkscout/id6760223860)

Plan your astrophotography sessions with real-time sky quality forecasts and astronomy signals. Compare observing spots and find the best windows for capturing the night sky.

**Highlights:** Sky quality tracking, Observing spot comparison, Best observing window identification, Milky Way visibility and direction, Offline forecast fallback, Home screen widget

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly PRO | $2.49 | per month |
| Yearly PRO | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is lustar free?

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

### Is Sky Planner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, lustar or Sky Planner?

Sky Planner is rated higher. lustar averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Sky Planner averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do lustar or Sky Planner have ads?

Neither lustar nor Sky Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, lustar or Sky Planner?

lustar ships an update every 96 months, and Sky Planner every 2 weeks. Most recently, lustar was updated on October 12, 2026 and Sky Planner on October 28, 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.*