# Celestron Origin vs Seestar

The clearest difference is monetization model: Celestron Origin at free against Seestar's paid. Celestron Origin also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 62%). Seestar's advantage is ratings volume (334 vs 28) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Celestron Origin against 4.2 for Seestar. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Seestar has 334 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Celestron Origin's written reviews are positive against 62% of Seestar's.

Celestron Origin ships an update every 2 months, Seestar monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Celestron Origin | Seestar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestron-origin/id1523697872/reviews) | **[4.2 (334 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seestar/id6447429891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 28 | **334** |
| Positive reviews | **92.3% of reviews** | 61.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 980 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Celestron, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/445142854) | [SuZhou ZWO Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1367782033) |

## What reviewers say

### Celestron Origin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/celestron-origin/id1523697872)

This app redefines stargazing and astroimaging with AI-powered real-time stacking and processing. Explore the cosmos through a user-friendly planetarium interface, easily locate celestial objects, and share stunning images with others.

**Highlights:** AI-powered real-time image stacking, User-friendly planetarium interface, Compass mode for sky navigation, Tonight's Best celestial object list, Simultaneous streaming to multiple devices, Audio presentations for celestial objects

**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 Celestron Origin free?

Celestron Origin 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, Celestron Origin or Seestar?

Seestar is rated higher. Celestron Origin averages 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Seestar averages 4.2 from 334 ratings.

### Do Celestron Origin or Seestar have ads?

Neither Celestron Origin nor Seestar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Celestron Origin or Seestar?

Celestron Origin ships an update every 2 months, and Seestar monthly. Most recently, Celestron Origin was updated on September 18, 2026 and Seestar on September 25, 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.*