# TinyScope vs Seestar

The clearest difference is rating: Seestar at 4.2 against TinyScope's 2.1. Seestar also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 23%) and ratings volume (346 vs 20). TinyScope's advantage is monetization model (free vs paid) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Seestar holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Seestar has 346 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of TinyScope's written reviews are positive against 62% of Seestar's.

TinyScope ships an update every 2 weeks, Seestar monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TinyScope | Seestar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinyscope/id1479790986/reviews) | **[4.2 (346 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seestar/id6447429891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **346** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **61.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 97 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tinyphoton (Wuhan) Technology. Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470898020) | [SuZhou ZWO Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1367782033) |

## What reviewers say

### TinyScope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tinyscope/id1479790986)

Transform your smartphone into a portable microscope with this companion app. Capture detailed photos and videos of objects up close, turning your device into a mobile lab. Essential for exploring the microscopic world on the go.

**Highlights:** Mobile microscope functionality, Capture photos, Record videos, Usage instructions, Accessory integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Seestar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seestar/id6447429891)

Explore the universe with a smart telescope that simplifies stargazing. Automatically find, focus, and capture celestial objects without professional guidance. Observe stars, the sun, and even landscapes with intuitive app control.

**Highlights:** Wireless control of telescope, Automatic celestial object finding and tracking, Solar observation with filter, Scenery mode for terrestrial viewing, Built-in sky atlas and encyclopedia, Stargazing index and recommendations, Share observations with community

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Continuous updates
- 💡 Great value for money
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Excellent image quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Firmware updates causing issues
- 🐛 Connectivity problems
- 🐛 Tracking and stability issues
- 🔋 Battery life concerns
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Firmware update cycle preventing settings changes
- Tracking errors and star trailing issues
- App crashing on startup
- Inability to connect to telescope
- Forced firmware updates during use

**Requested features**

- Add equatorial mode support
- Provide fine control of exposure time
- Implement mosaic mode for wider FOV
- Add support for iPad landscape mode
- Integrate with other astronomy apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TinyScope free?

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

### Is Seestar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TinyScope or Seestar?

Seestar is rated higher. TinyScope averages 2.1 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Seestar averages 4.2 from 346 ratings.

### Do TinyScope or Seestar have ads?

Neither TinyScope nor Seestar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TinyScope or Seestar?

TinyScope ships an update every 2 weeks, and Seestar monthly. Most recently, TinyScope was updated on September 30, 2026 and Seestar on October 16, 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.*