Comparison

Hubble vs Planet Pointer

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

Head to head
About

Hubble

Explore the universe in high definition with stunning images from the Hubble Space Telescope. Discover galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters with detailed descriptions and an immersive slideshow experience. Stay updated with the latest cosmic discoveries.

Highlights
  • High-resolution cosmic image gallery
  • Immersive slideshow mode
  • Searchable database of celestial objects
  • Detailed scientific descriptions
  • Real-time updates for 'Picture of the Week'
  • Links to NASA/ESA archives
Features
Read full description

Embark on a breathtaking journey across the universe with Hubble. Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of deep space through the lens of the world’s most famous space telescope. From distant galaxies to colorful nebulae, the Hubble Cosmic Gallery brings the majesty of the cosmos directly to your fingertips in stunning high resolution. Fresh from Hubble: Stay updated with the "Picture of the Week." Our real-time ESA/Hubble RSS integration ensures you never miss a new cosmic discovery. Immense HD Library: Browse a curated collection of the most iconic Hubble images. Explore star clusters, supernova remnants, and the farthest reaches of the observable universe. Immersive Slideshow: Turn your device into a window to the stars. Enjoy a seamless, auto-playing slideshow experience with ambient transitions and deep-space vibes. Search & Discover: Looking for a specific nebula or galaxy? Use our lightning-fast search to find exactly what you're looking for among hundreds of high-res entries. Premium UI/UX: Designed with SwiftUI, featuring elegant glassmorphism effects, parallax carousels, and tactical haptic feedback for a truly premium feel. Learn as You Explore: Every image comes with detailed scientific descriptions and direct links to official NASA/ESA archives for those who want to dive deeper into the science. Whether you’re a space enthusiast, a student of astronomy, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of our universe, Hubble provides a specialized, clutter-free experience for celestial exploration. Download Hubble today and witness the grandeur of the stars like never before.

About

Planet Pointer

Features
Read full description

Planet Pointer turns your phone into a pocket sky guide. Pick one target — a planet, a star, a constellation, a satellite or a deep-sky object — and an on-screen arrow, a dashed guide line, or both, lead you until your phone is aimed right at it. Or point the camera at something you don't recognise and let the app tell you what it is. Simple, focused, and accurate. POINT AT THE SKY Choose what you want to find and follow the guide. When you're locked on target, the phone confirms with a gentle vibration. If your target is below the horizon, the app tells you what time it rises. The live camera view helps you line up the guide with the real sky. WHAT'S THAT? IDENTIFY MODE Point the camera at anything in the sky and tap it to identify it. A phone compass is only accurate to about 5°, so the app never hands you a confident answer it cannot back up: you get the most likely object with a match percentage, plus anything else near enough to be a real possibility. Turn on constellation lines if you like them, or keep the stars bare. Ask which star that is and get an honest answer instead of a guess. TONIGHT, FREE See what is actually up right now: the Moon and its phase, which planets are visible and until what time, and the next satellite pass you could genuinely see with your own eyes. No purchase and no setup. WHAT YOU CAN FIND - The Sun, the Moon and all 7 planets - 33 of the brightest named stars - All 88 constellations, drawn as connect-the-dots figures over the live sky - Deep sky: nebulae, galaxies and star clusters — Orion, Andromeda, the Pleiades and more - Live satellites — including the ISS, Hubble, Starlink and more — tracked in real time, with upcoming passes and how easy each one will be to see - Rise, transit and set times for every object, in your location's own time zone ACCURATE & OFFLINE Positions are calculated on your device using a precise astronomy engine, with true-north correction from the World Magnetic Model. No internet needed for the core features. MORE TO EXPLORE - Sky Events: eclipses, meteor showers, equinoxes and solstices, supermoons, planet oppositions and the next visible ISS pass — tap one to jump there. Moon phases are always free, and so are the two nearest events. - A Moon phase view, with the crescent tilted the way it really looks from where you are, and the whole month to scroll through - Time Travel (Pro): shift the sky forward or back in time to see where everything will be - Info cards with facts, figures and mythology for every body and constellation - Favourites, brightness/magnitude data, and a search you can filter to "visible now" SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE 13 languages built in, and 66 more available to download with Pro — 79 in all, with translated planet, star and constellation names. BUILT FOR STARGAZING - Night-vision red mode to protect your dark-adapted eyes - Spoken sky: hear your target and aim guidance read aloud - Choose km or miles, set your location manually, and more FREE & PRO Free, forever: the camera pointer, the Sun, the Moon and all 7 planets, the Tonight view, rise and set times, the Moon phase view, and a few famous stars, constellations, deep-sky objects and satellites to try — everything that is free in the lists is free in identify mode too. Planet Pointer Pro is a single one-time purchase — no subscription — that unlocks every star, constellation, deep-sky object and satellite, Time Travel, the full Sky Events list, unlimited favourites, the full night-vision options and every language download. PRIVACY FIRST No account. No ads. No trackers. Your location and camera are used only on your device to point you at the sky — they're never recorded or sent anywhere. Look up. Point. Find it.

Screenshots

Hubble4 screens
Planet Pointer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hubble at none against Planet Pointer's 1. Planet Pointer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Planet Pointer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hubble asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hubble ships an update every 5 months, Planet Pointer every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hubble versus Planet Pointer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHubblePlanet Pointer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2.9 GB55 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperAlparslan TopbasHaviv Tarazi

In-app purchases

None

Hubble

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Planet Pointer

One-time1
  • Planet Pointer Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Hubble free?
Hubble is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Planet Pointer free?
Planet Pointer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Hubble or Planet Pointer have ads?
Hubble shows ads; Planet Pointer does not.
Which is updated more often, Hubble or Planet Pointer?
Hubble ships an update every 5 months, and Planet Pointer every 4 days. Most recently, Hubble was updated on October 24, 2026 and Planet Pointer on October 24, 2026.

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