SkyAtlas vs Catálogo Messier
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SkyAtlas
Explore the night sky with a digital atlas and control your telescope mount. Plan astrophotography compositions with simulated camera fields of view and track celestial objects in real-time. Features one-click GoTo and mode switching for an enhanced stargazing experience.
- Digital sky atlas exploration
- Telescope mount control (ZWO ASI)
- Simulated camera field of view
- Real-time telescope pointing display
- One-click GoTo functionality
- Object tracking
- EQ and AltAz mode switching
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SkyAtlas is the control app for ZWO AM series mounts, with Bluetooth support for ZWO EAF. Use your phone to control the mount and focuser with ease. The built-in star map includes thousands of stars and deep-sky objects. "Best Tonight" recommends the best targets in your current sky. Tap GoTo, and the mount automatically tracks your chosen object. Preview your telescope's aim and frame shots right on your screen—what you see is where it points. Switch between equatorial and alt-az modes with one tap. SkyAtlas, explore the night sky, simplified.
Catálogo Messier
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Simple application to have the Messier catalogue of objects on your mobile phone and be able to consult its most relevant information. Add your favourite objects to the list of favourites for quicker access. Filter the list of objects by visibility according to your current location.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SkyAtlas at none against Catálogo Messier's 1. SkyAtlas also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads 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. Catálogo Messier sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SkyAtlas asks for nothing beyond the download.
SkyAtlas ships an update monthly, Catálogo Messier every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SkyAtlas | Catálogo Messier |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.4 (17 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 17 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 911 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SuZhou ZWO Co., Ltd | Pablo Morcillo Perez |
In-app purchases
SkyAtlas
No in-app purchases
Catálogo Messier
- Messier Catalogue Pro$2.99
