# Star Tracker vs Globe Earth 3D

The clearest difference is monetization model: Star Tracker at free with in-app purchases against Globe Earth 3D's subscription. Globe Earth 3D's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 41 months) and review sentiment (13% vs 0%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Globe Earth 3D sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Star Tracker against 4.0 for Globe Earth 3D. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Globe Earth 3D has 1.1K ratings behind it against 128, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of Star Tracker's written reviews are positive against 13% of Globe Earth 3D's.

Star Tracker ships an update every 41 months, Globe Earth 3D every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Tracker | Globe Earth 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-tracker-night-sky-map/id1639492546/reviews)** | [4.0 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-earth-3d-live-map/id1643122013/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 128 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **13.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 41 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#102** |
| Size | 107 MB | 202 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nalin Savaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1248252947) | [ZipoApps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671444635) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-tracker-night-sky-map/id1639492546)

Explore the night sky in real-time by pointing your device upwards. Identify stars, planets, constellations, and satellites with an easy-to-use interface. Discover celestial events and a vast collection of deep sky objects.

**Highlights:** Real-time celestial object identification, Accurate night sky simulation, Extensive database of stars and planets, Satellite tracking (ISS included), Simulation of landscape and atmosphere, Information on meteor showers and celestial events

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| star tracker night one week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| star tracker night one year | $29.99 | per year |
| Star Tracker - Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### Globe Earth 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/globe-earth-3d-live-map/id1643122013)

**Currently charting:** #102 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

Explore a 3D model of Earth with detailed political and physical maps, weather, and geographical information. Discover nearby places with live satellite views and track your location. Customize your device with a live 3D Earth wallpaper.

**Highlights:** 3D Earth model, Political and physical maps, Weather information, Geography and 100+ objects, Nearby places discovery, Live satellite view, Location tracker

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Live Map One Week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access | $9.99 | per year |
| Live Map One Month | $14.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Live Map Three Month | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Unlimited Access | $29.99 | per month |
| Globe Earth 3D One Year | $49.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Access | $49.99 | per year |
| Globe Earth 3D Live Camera | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Killer app
- ⭐ Awesome features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Not live images
- 🤔 Old and blurry images
- 💰 Misleading description and not worth the money
- 🤯 Terrible app, doesn't work as advertised
- 🙄 Too many ads

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Incompatible with some devices
- Vague instructions and poor user experience

**Requested features**

- Live satellite images
- More up-to-date imagery
- Better zooming and viewing capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Tracker free?

Star Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Globe Earth 3D free?

Globe Earth 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Star Tracker or Globe Earth 3D?

Star Tracker is rated higher. Star Tracker averages 4.2 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Globe Earth 3D averages 4.0 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Star Tracker or Globe Earth 3D have ads?

Both Star Tracker and Globe Earth 3D show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Tracker or Globe Earth 3D?

Star Tracker ships an update every 41 months, and Globe Earth 3D every 2 months. Most recently, Star Tracker was updated on October 24, 2026 and Globe Earth 3D on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*