Satellite Tracker vs Orbital Traffic
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Satellite Tracker
Track satellites and the International Space Station in real-time with interactive maps and detailed information. Explore a comprehensive database of various satellite types, from weather and communication to navigation and scientific missions. Offers an ad-free experience and expanded features with a premium subscription.
- Real-time satellite tracking
- Interactive sky maps
- Comprehensive satellite database
- Detailed satellite information
- Offline functionality
- Ad-free premium experience
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Satellite Tracker - Live ISS & Satellite Positions Track satellites in real-time with interactive maps and detailed information REAL-TIME SATELLITE TRACKING • Live ISS (International Space Station) tracking • Monitor active satellites across multiple categories • Real-time orbital positions on interactive maps • Detailed satellite information and specifications INTERACTIVE MAP EXPERIENCE • High-resolution satellite and terrain maps • Multiple map styles and viewing options • Your location integration for personalized tracking • Smooth zoom and pan controls COMPREHENSIVE SATELLITE DATABASE • Weather Satellites - NOAA, Meteosat, GOES series • Communication - Iridium, Inmarsat, satellite phones • Navigation - GPS, GLONASS, Galileo networks • Amateur Radio - Ham radio satellites • Scientific - Research and observation satellites • Earth Observation - Landsat, Sentinel, imaging satellites DETAILED SATELLITE INFO • Technical specifications and launch data • Orbital parameters and characteristics • Mission objectives and current status • Regular database updates PREMIUM FEATURES • Ad-free tracking experience • Access to all satellite categories • Extended satellite database • Priority customer support USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN • Clean, intuitive interface • Fast loading and smooth performance • Optimized for both iPhone and iPad • Works offline with cached data Perfect for space enthusiasts, amateur radio operators, students, and anyone curious about what's orbiting above us. Whether you're teaching kids about space or professionally tracking satellites, this app provides accurate real-time data in a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://privacydeisy.netlify.app/ Download now and start exploring the satellites above you!
Orbital Traffic
Visualize the real-time positions of thousands of satellites, space stations, and NEOs on a 3D globe. Discover what's currently overhead, search for specific objects, and learn about their missions and telemetry.
- Real-time 3D globe display
- Track over 19,000 objects
- See what's overhead now
- Search object telemetry
- Object profiles and history
- Watchlist and favorites
- Shareable orbital cards
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Space has traffic. Watch it move. Orbital Traffic puts more than 19,000 tracked objects on a live 3D globe: the International Space Station, crewed capsules, fresh Starlink trains, navigation and communications satellites, debris and near-Earth asteroids. Every position is computed on your phone from the latest orbital data. No ads. No account. Nothing about you leaves your device. PASS ALERTS Get a heads-up 10 minutes before the ISS or a Starlink train crosses your sky. Alerts fire only for passes worth stepping outside for: high in the sky, in sunlight, and never in the middle of the night. One a day at most. Tap the bell on any pass to make sure you get that one. SEE IT FROM THE GROUND Open the ISS or a train and find out when it passes over you next: what time, where to look, how high it climbs, and a sky chart of its path. STARLINK TRAINS Freshly launched batches are spotted automatically and lit up on the globe while they're still flying in a line, with their length, spacing and next good pass from where you are. TODAY IN SPACE Launches as they happen, dockings and undockings, re-entries and crew changes, all in one feed. Been away a while? Orbital Traffic shows you what you missed. YOUR SKY Tap once to see what's above you right now. The notable ones are named and explained, and the big constellations are folded into a line each. THE CREW AND THE FLEET See who's living aboard the ISS and China's Tiangong station, and follow Dragon, Soyuz, Shenzhou, Progress, Cygnus and Tianzhou from launch through docking to landing. THOUSANDS OF OBJECTS, EXPLAINED Search the catalog for hand-written profiles on 2,800+ notable objects: who built it and why it's up there. Live telemetry on everything: altitude, speed, orbit and the ground below it. BEYOND EARTH ORBIT 77 near-Earth asteroids on their real orbits around the Sun, with their next close approach. Ask where Voyager or New Horizons is and get its distance right now. SAVE AND SHARE Star favorites, keep a watchlist, and make a shareable card of anything in orbit.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Orbital Traffic at 4.8 against Satellite Tracker's 2.0. Orbital Traffic also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). Satellite Tracker's advantage is review sentiment (13% vs 0%). 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
Both are free to download. Satellite Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Orbital Traffic asks for nothing beyond the download.
Orbital Traffic holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orbital Traffic has 16 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 13% of Satellite Tracker's written reviews are positive against 0% of Orbital Traffic's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Satellite Tracker ships an update every 3 months, Orbital Traffic every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Satellite Tracker | Orbital Traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (3 ratings) | 4.8 (16 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 12.5% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Deisy Renteria | IAN HUNTER LEWIS |
Customer experience
Satellite Tracker
Orbital Traffic
In-app purchases
Satellite Tracker
- Monthly Premium Subscription$2.991 Month
- Annual Premium Subscription$14.991 Year
- Lifetime Premium Access$39.99
Orbital Traffic
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Satellite Tracker free?
Is Orbital Traffic free?
Which has better reviews, Satellite Tracker or Orbital Traffic?
Do Satellite Tracker or Orbital Traffic have ads?
Which is updated more often, Satellite Tracker or Orbital Traffic?
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