lustar vs SkyWindow
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
lustar
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.
- Hourly stargazing forecasts
- Light pollution data integration
- Searchable world map
- Local weather forecasts
- Optimal viewing location finder
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The two biggest factors keeping you from finding that perfect star gazing location are light pollution and weather. Using local weather forecasts and light pollution data, Lustar gives you a searchable map of the world with hourly stargazing forecasts for every location. Check out the Dark Site locations if you're not sure where to start.
SkyWindow
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SkyWindow tells you what you can actually see from your backyard tonight — not a generic all-sky chart. YOUR REAL SKY Capture your horizon with your phone (eight compass directions). SkyWindow uses AI to trace trees, roofs, and buildings, then filters every target list to what clears your skyline. TONIGHT'S VERDICT Get a clear GO, MAYBE, or STAY IN call based on cloud cover, wind, moon phase, and how many good targets are up for your site and gear. EQUIPMENT-AWARE TARGETS Add telescopes, binoculars, or a Seestar S30. Targets are matched to your field of view and aperture — no more hunting for objects you can't frame or resolve. PLAN & LOG Drag targets into an observing plan, browse the calendar, and log sessions with notes and what you saw. EVENING REMINDERS Turn on notifications in Profile. Around 8 pm local time, SkyWindow can nudge you when skies look worth opening the app. LANGUAGES English, Deutsch, Francais, Espanol, and Japanese. Change anytime in Profile. SkyWindow is built for amateur astronomers who observe from light-polluted backyards — where the horizon matters as much as the forecast.
Screenshots
Verdict
lustar and SkyWindow are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | lustar | SkyWindow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (9 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 96 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 191 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | THIRSTY FISH LLC | Andrew Reilly |
In-app purchases
lustar
No in-app purchases
SkyWindow
No in-app purchases









