Comparison

iOptron Commander (iOS) vs AuroraSpy

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

Head to head
About

iOptron Commander (iOS)

Control your iOptron telescope mount remotely using your iOS device. This utility allows for basic functions like slewing to celestial objects, syncing time and location, and managing compatible mount series.

Highlights
  • Remote telescope mount control
  • Slew to stars and deepsky objects
  • Sync time and site from iOS
  • Supports HEM, HAE, HAZ, CEM, GEM series mounts
  • Basic control functions
Features
Read full description

This is an application for owner of iOptron telescope mounts to remote control their telescope mounts via iOS devices. This lite version has some basic function such as slew to famous stars, named deepsky objects, solar system, sync time and site from iOS devices, and etc. Compatible product list: All HEM series All HAE series All HAZ.series CEM120 series CEM70 series GEM45 series CEM40 series GEM28 series CEM26 series SkyHunter

About

AuroraSpy

Features
Read full description

AuroraSpy is the calm aurora guide for travelers in Iceland. Instead of throwing raw Kp numbers and cloud percentages at you, AuroraSpy combines space-weather activity, local cloud cover and how dark the sky actually is right now into one clear decision: go out tonight, wait an hour, or skip and try tomorrow. The app is built around how a real night unfolds. As dusk turns into true night and the hours march toward dawn, the screen changes with you — showing the right card for "is it dark yet?", "is anything happening?", "is it worth driving somewhere clearer?", and "did I miss it?". One screen. Eight faces. No dashboards. For travelers • A single trustworthy answer when you have one cold night to spend • Honest about clouds — it will tell you when it's not worth going • Bilingual: English and Icelandic out of the box • Off-season friendly: explains why summer isn't aurora season and when the dark hours come back What it uses • Real-time geomagnetic activity (Kp, Bz, solar wind speed) • Local cloud cover from public weather services • Sun altitude + astronomical twilight at your coordinates • Optional: your location, only when you ask for a viewing call Privacy first • No account required • Sighting reports are anonymous — no device or user ID is stored • You can erase your waitlist email from inside the app in two taps • Full policy: https://auroraspy.com/privacy.html Built in Iceland. Made for the long winter nights.

Screenshots

iOptron Commander (iOS)4 screens
AuroraSpy3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: AuroraSpy at every 2 days against iOptron Commander (iOS)'s every 6 months. AuroraSpy also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iOptron Commander (iOS) ships an update every 6 months, AuroraSpy every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
iOptron Commander (iOS) versus AuroraSpy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriOptron Commander (iOS)AuroraSpy
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.8 (15 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews6.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings15 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer成城 徐Brynjar Bjornsson

In-app purchases

None

iOptron Commander (iOS)

No in-app purchases

None

AuroraSpy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iOptron Commander (iOS) free?
iOptron Commander (iOS) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AuroraSpy free?
AuroraSpy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do iOptron Commander (iOS) or AuroraSpy have ads?
Neither iOptron Commander (iOS) nor AuroraSpy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iOptron Commander (iOS) or AuroraSpy?
iOptron Commander (iOS) ships an update every 6 months, and AuroraSpy every 2 days. Most recently, iOptron Commander (iOS) was updated on October 25, 2026 and AuroraSpy on October 28, 2026.

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