Comparison

Lunar Eclipse Guide vs SkySafari 8 Plus

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

Head to head
About

Lunar Eclipse Guide

Plan and experience solar and lunar eclipses with detailed information, simulations, and observation tools. Discover past and future events, view visibility maps, and receive timely notifications.

Highlights
  • Eclipse calendar
  • Observing from any location
  • Eclipse simulation
  • World map with eclipse path
  • Visibility gradation map
  • Best observation places
  • Notifications
Read full description

Eclipse Guide is a comprehensive and easy-to-use app for observing solar and lunar eclipses. It provides all information you need to experience and understand any eclipse of the past and the future. ***From the developers of famous astronomical app Star Walk, winner of the Apple Design Award 2010, loved by more than 20 million users around the world*** Main features: ● Eclipse calendar with the list of solar and lunar eclipses of the past and the future. ● Observing eclipses from the user's location, from any other place, or from the best location for observation. ● Eclipse simulation with the play button to get a visual representation of the celestial event from its beginning to the end. ● World map showing the eclipse path accompanied by the info about the sun coverage and the moon altitude. ● The map illustrating the gradation of eclipse visibility. ● The list of best places for eclipse observations. ● Eclipse phases, timelines, and other core information. ● Notifications about solar and lunar eclipses. ● Share the information about eclipses with friends. The app is not limited to upcoming eclipses only - you can choose any eclipse you want to learn about and view it at home or worldwide. Advanced features:* ● Audio guide with voice notifications won’t let you miss the desired solar or lunar eclipse. It will accompany your eclipse observation process providing comments on all the stages of the phenomenon. ● Fullscreen informative maps show the visibility of an eclipse and its path. Use them to pick a good location for your eclipse observation. Zoom in and out, check the eclipse visibility for any location. ● Star spotter simulates the sky at your observing location. Find out whether the eclipse will be visible from the selected location. Quickly identify and view solar and lunar eclipses in the sky. The Star Spotter feature won't work for the devices that are not equipped with digital compass. *Advanced features should be purchased separately (via In-App Purchase). Remember: Looking directly at the Sun can cause serious eye damage or blindness. Never look at a solar eclipse without proper eye protection. Questions or suggestions for improvements: support@vitotechnology.com We are looking forward to your feedback. Get ready for the next eclipse with Eclipse Guide!

About

SkySafari 8 Plus

Explore the cosmos with a powerful space simulator and telescope control. Identify celestial objects, simulate the night sky, and plan observing sessions with detailed forecasts and event finders. Features include image import, plate solving, and cloud sync for your astronomy data.

Highlights
  • Point and identify celestial objects
  • Simulate night sky and celestial events
  • Telescope control with ASCOM Alpaca/INDI
  • Import and manage astrophotography images
  • Observing conditions forecasts (Premium)
  • Real-time user observations and remote guidance
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SkySafari 8 Plus goes beyond most basic stargazing apps by providing you with a full-featured space simulator with telescope control. If you are looking to dive deeper into astronomy, start your journey with the #1 recommended app for amateur astronomers since 2009. SkySafari 8 Plus delivers a beautifully refined interface, powerful observing tools, and seamless telescope control. Whether you're exploring from your backyard or planning a night under the stars, SkySafari 8 Plus gives you the clarity and precision to take your astronomy hobby to the next level. What’s New in Version 8 + UI Themes - Customize your experience with five new UI color themes. Instantly change the look of the app with a fresh visual palette. + Image Gallery - Import your own images from AstroBin, FITS files, local storage, or URLs. Includes basic editing tools to manage your astrophotography collection. + Plate Solving - Quickly plate-solve imported images and place them directly onto the sky chart to contextualize your photos. + Rotatable FOV Indicator - Rotate the field of view to any angle - perfect for matching your specific equipment orientation. + Observing Conditions (Premium) - Get observer-focused hourly forecasts, including best viewing windows, seeing index, and sky quality metrics. If you're new to SkySafari 8 Plus, here’s what you can do: + Point & Identify - Hold your device to the sky and instantly identify stars, constellations, planets, satellites, and more. + Simulate the Night Sky - Simulate the sky up to 10,000 years in the past or future! Animate meteor showers, conjunctions, eclipses, and other celestial events. + Telescope Control - Control your telescope and manage your observing sessions with advanced planning and logging tools. SkySafari supports ASCOM Alpaca and INDI, allowing you to effortlessly connect to hundreds of compatible astronomical devices. + Events Finder - Use the powerful search engine to find upcoming astronomical events visible from your location - tonight or far into the future. + OneSky & SkyCast - See what other users are observing in real-time, or guide a friend around the night sky remotely via a shared link. + Sky Tonight - Jump to the Tonight section to see what’s visible in your sky right now. Expanded information helps you plan your night, including Moon & Sun info and curated object lists. + Cloud Sync (Optional) - Securely back up observing data to LiveSky and access it across your devices or through LiveSky.com. + Orbit Mode - Leave Earth behind and fly through the solar system. + Night Vision - Preserve your eyesight after dark. For even more features, and a gigantic database aimed at the most dedicated amateur or professional astronomer, check out SkySafari 8 Pro! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.livesky.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Lunar Eclipse Guide4 screens
SkySafari 8 Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Lunar Eclipse Guide at $1.99 against SkySafari 8 Plus's $19.99. Lunar Eclipse Guide also leads on ratings volume (785 vs 120) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). SkySafari 8 Plus's advantage is review sentiment (78% vs 42%) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Lunar Eclipse Guide costs $1.99 and SkySafari 8 Plus $19.99 up front. Lunar Eclipse Guide sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SkySafari 8 Plus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Lunar Eclipse Guide against 4.6 for SkySafari 8 Plus. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lunar Eclipse Guide has 785 ratings behind it against 120, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of Lunar Eclipse Guide's written reviews are positive against 78% of SkySafari 8 Plus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lunar Eclipse Guide ships an update every 3 months, SkySafari 8 Plus monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Lunar Eclipse Guide versus SkySafari 8 Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLunar Eclipse GuideSkySafari 8 Plus
Price$1.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.6 (785 ratings)4.6 (120 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.1% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings785 — better120
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#47 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size239 MB1.2 GB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperVito Technology Inc.Simulation Curriculum Corp.

Customer experience

Lunar Eclipse Guide

All ratings778 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral2.2%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive42.1%
Neutral9.2%
Negative48.7%

SkySafari 8 Plus

All ratings120 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

Bugs and requests

Lunar Eclipse Guide

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Incorrect eclipse visibility information
  • Simulation stops at GMT midnight
  • Localisation issues
  • Crashes during use

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more future eclipses
  • Allow custom location saving
  • Implement landscape mode
  • Expand date range for historical eclipses
  • Add ability to scrub timeline

SkySafari 8 Plus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Lunar Eclipse Guide

One-time1
  • Advanced Eclipse Calendar$0.99
2 purchases

SkySafari 8 Plus

Subscriptions2
  • SkySafari Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • SkySafari Premium$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Lunar Eclipse Guide free?
Lunar Eclipse Guide costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is SkySafari 8 Plus free?
SkySafari 8 Plus costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lunar Eclipse Guide or SkySafari 8 Plus?
SkySafari 8 Plus is rated higher. Lunar Eclipse Guide averages 4.6 out of 5 from 785 ratings, while SkySafari 8 Plus averages 4.6 from 120 ratings.
Do Lunar Eclipse Guide or SkySafari 8 Plus have ads?
Lunar Eclipse Guide shows ads; SkySafari 8 Plus does not.
Which is updated more often, Lunar Eclipse Guide or SkySafari 8 Plus?
Lunar Eclipse Guide ships an update every 3 months, and SkySafari 8 Plus monthly. Most recently, Lunar Eclipse Guide was updated on November 2, 2026 and SkySafari 8 Plus on November 6, 2026.

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