ScopeWizard vs GuideWatch
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ScopeWizard
This app simplifies telescope, eyepiece, and camera calculations with a unified database of equipment. Easily mix and match your gear or input custom values for precise specifications.
- Unified formula database
- Equipment database
- Mix and match gear
- Custom value input
- Telescope specifications calculation
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There are numerous formulas for computing the specifics of your telescope, eyepieces, and camera's characteristics when used together. ScopeWizard brings those formulas together in one handy place. An included database of telescopes, eyepieces, and cameras can be used to mix and match your equipment, or you can enter custom values manually.
GuideWatch
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GuideWatch puts your PHD2 guiding session on your wrist. If you run NINA to control your astrophotography rig, you already know the drag of walking back to the laptop every few minutes just to check whether guiding is still holding steady. GuideWatch connects directly to either PHD2 or NINA over your local Wi-Fi network and shows you what matters, right on your Apple Watch: • Live guiding graph: see RA/Dec error trends update in real time, just like the graph in PHD2 itself • RMS error and key guiding stats at a glance, with optional haptic alerts if guiding fails • Simple connection status, so you know instantly if guiding has dropped out • A quick settings screen to connect to PHD2 or NINA on your controller's IP address and port No need to keep walking back to a screen, break your dark adaptation, or leave a laptop running somewhere inconvenient (just glance at your wrist). GuideWatch also includes a simulation mode, so you can explore the app and its guiding display before connecting it to a live session. Requirements: GuideWatch needs either PHD2 or a NINA instance with the Advanced API module running on the same local network. GuideWatch does not control PHD2, NINA or your imaging session; it's a read-only guiding monitor designed to keep you informed without needing to touch your imaging laptop.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: GuideWatch at fortnightly against ScopeWizard's every 25 months. ScopeWizard's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ScopeWizard ships an update every 25 months, GuideWatch fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScopeWizard | GuideWatch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 26.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Richard Wright | Cambridge AI Works Ltd. |
In-app purchases
ScopeWizard
No in-app purchases
GuideWatch
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ScopeWizard free?
Is GuideWatch free?
Do ScopeWizard or GuideWatch have ads?
Which is updated more often, ScopeWizard or GuideWatch?
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