# APT Darkness Clock vs SkySafari 7 Pro

The clearest difference is review sentiment: APT Darkness Clock at 100% against SkySafari 7 Pro's 46%. APT Darkness Clock also leads on price (Free vs $17.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). SkySafari 7 Pro's advantage is ratings volume (5.5K vs 5). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

APT Darkness Clock is free to download; SkySafari 7 Pro costs $17.99 up front. SkySafari 7 Pro sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. APT Darkness Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

APT Darkness Clock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkySafari 7 Pro has 5.5K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of APT Darkness Clock's written reviews are positive against 46% of SkySafari 7 Pro's.

APT Darkness Clock ships an update every 11 days, SkySafari 7 Pro every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | APT Darkness Clock | SkySafari 7 Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $17.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apt-darkness-clock/id1351332907/reviews)** | [4.6 (5.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-pro/id1567658979/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **5.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 2.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 14.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ivaylo Stoynov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1351332906) | [Simulation Curriculum Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/791341744) |

## What reviewers say

### APT Darkness Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apt-darkness-clock/id1351332907)

This app calculates the optimal times for deep sky astrophotography and observation based on your location and night sky conditions. It determines the duration and start/end times of ideal darkness, excluding twilight and moonlight.

**Highlights:** Calculates Deep Sky Darkness Time (DSD Time), Determines start and end times for DSD Time, Calculates DSD Time duration, Supports current location, Allows storing up to three observing sites, Free and ad-free

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SkySafari 7 Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-pro/id1567658979)

Explore the night sky with an extensive astronomy database and advanced planning tools. Discover astronomical events, control your telescope, and connect with other stargazers in real-time.

**Highlights:** Extensive celestial object database, Advanced event finder, Telescope control (ASCOM Alpaca, INDI, StarSense), Real-time social stargazing (OneSky), Guided sky tours (SkyCast), Observation planning and logging, Home and lock screen widgets

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkySafari Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SkySafari Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| PGC Galaxy Database | Free | one-time |
| GAIA Star Database | Free | one-time |
| Apollo Lunar Missions | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent observational tool
- 🌟 Powerful and indispensable app
- 👍 Great app, easy to use
- 🔭 Wonderful planetarium app
- 💻 Best mobile tool for telescope control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes upon opening
- 🌍 Lack of Southern Hemisphere support
- 🔍 Complicated interface, not user-friendly
- 🔌 Crashes too often
- 💰 Pay even more for additional features

**Reported bugs**

- Free database downloads fail to complete
- Telescope button crashes the app
- Time settings spontaneously reset
- Observing list crashes the app
- Field of view indicators not working

**Requested features**

- Add ability to quickly edit light form
- Allow custom horizon mask input
- Include surface brightness data for extended objects
- Add transit altitude information for objects
- Improve object search with fuzzy matching


## Frequently asked questions

### Is APT Darkness Clock free?

APT Darkness Clock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SkySafari 7 Pro free?

SkySafari 7 Pro costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, APT Darkness Clock or SkySafari 7 Pro?

APT Darkness Clock is rated higher. APT Darkness Clock averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while SkySafari 7 Pro averages 4.6 from 5.5K ratings.

### Do APT Darkness Clock or SkySafari 7 Pro have ads?

Neither APT Darkness Clock nor SkySafari 7 Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, APT Darkness Clock or SkySafari 7 Pro?

APT Darkness Clock ships an update every 11 days, and SkySafari 7 Pro every 5 weeks. Most recently, APT Darkness Clock was updated on October 24, 2026 and SkySafari 7 Pro on October 30, 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.*