Astro vs StoneBusters
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Astro
This app provides real-time alerts and multi-wavelength context for astronomical events. It offers advanced planning tools, interactive sky maps, and data enrichment for professional researchers and citizen scientists.
- Real-time astronomical event alerts
- Multi-wavelength observational context
- Advanced observing condition planning
- Interactive sky map visualization
- Real-time photometry and lightcurve data
- Pro-amateur astronomer collaboration tools
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Astro-COLIBRI: The Real-Time Multi-Messenger Discovery Engine Flares of known astronomical sources and new transient phenomena occur on timescales from sub-seconds to weeks. The discovery potential of both serendipitous and multi-messenger (MM) follow-up observations is maximized with a tool that provides an instantaneous, comprehensive overview of both persistent sources and transient events in the relevant phase space. Astro-COLIBRI is a state-of-the-art research infrastructure designed for the era of Time-Domain and Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (TDAMM). Our architecture comprises a RESTful API, a real-time database, and a cloud-based alert system that evaluates incoming VOEvent and GCN messages (via Kafka streams) in real-time. Key Features: - Real-Time Alerts: Immediate push notifications for GRBs, Gravitational Waves (GW), High-Energy Neutrinos, Supernovae, and more, filtered by your custom criteria. - Multi-Wavelength Context: Automatically place events into their MWL context with integrated data from major observatories (Swift, Fermi, SVOM, Einstein-Probe) and catalogs (4FGL, TeVCat, HMXB/LMXB). - Advanced Planning Tools: Assess observing conditions at professional observatories or your own custom coordinates. Includes Sun/Moon positions, altitude plots, and weather assessments. - Interactive Visualization: An interactive SkyMap with selectable events, manual zoom, and specialized Tilepy support for planning coverage of large localization uncertainties (e.g., Gravitational Waves). - Data Enrichment: Access real-time photometry, lightcurves updated twice daily, and galaxy cross-matching to identify potential hosts of transient events. - Pro-Am Collaboration: Dedicated support for amateur networks (e.g., RAPAS, Kilonova-Catcher, BHTOM), allowing for the submission and tracking of observations directly within the global community. Optimized for performance and reliability, Astro-COLIBRI exploits concepts such as multi-index database queries and a global content delivery network (CDN) to provide a seamless user experience for professional researchers and citizen scientists alike. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
StoneBusters
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On the mobile screen, users can access data from the Minor Planet Center, such as the NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP) and the Possible Comet Confirmation Page (PCCP). A list of recently observed NEOs, organized by classification: unnumbered single-opposition, multiple-opposition, and numbered objects. Object from NEOfixer (University of Arizona) may be visualized, filtered and sorted. A personalized βstarredβ list let the user to have a list of preferred objects available for quick view and a custom list of selected objects, based on various physical and observational parameters may also be listed. Additionally, a list of objects that were removed from the NEOCP is available, with each object graphically categorized by its final classification (e.g., NEO, comet, artificial object, missing object, etc.). Once an object is selected, the app provides detailed information, including: an observation summary (observatory codes and details), Ephemeris calculation, Orbital elements and uncertainty orbit graphic representation for NEO. Users can also "identify" an object displaying physical and orbital data retrieved from NASA JPL's Solar System Dynamics (SSD) database. This includes secondary designations, discovery circumstances, and citation text (if available). There is also the possibility to βWAMOβ an object with personal MPC observatory code to obtain the status of observation, and also have Summary WAMO data visualized as bar histograms and tables. As a curiosityβand to assist users without an observatory codeβif location permissions are enabled, the app can list the 30 nearest observatory codes based on distance from the user's device. (For security reasons, the exact coordinates or map positions of the observatories are not displayed, and never will be.) The app relies on APIs provided by: - The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's SSD and CNEOS (Center for Near-Earth Object Studies) - NEOfixer (University of Arizona) Some calculations, such as topocentric ephemerides, are performed directly on the device. While the app provides convenient, on-the-fly previews of information, users are strongly encouraged to refer to the official sources mentioned above for authoritative and professionally calculated data.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StoneBusters at none against Astro's 2. StoneBusters also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Astro sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. StoneBusters asks for nothing beyond the download.
Astro ships an update every 6 weeks, StoneBusters every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Astro | StoneBusters |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | β |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 2 weeks β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No β better |
| Monetization | Freemium | β |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac β better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 95 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fabian Schussler | FABRIZIO TOZZI |
In-app purchases
Astro
- Astro-COLIBRI AR7 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Astro-COLIBRI AR7 Days trial$29.991 Year
StoneBusters
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Astro free?
Is StoneBusters free?
Do Astro or StoneBusters have ads?
Which is updated more often, Astro or StoneBusters?
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