PushToCam for Telescope vs AstroFinder
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PushToCam for Telescope
This app simplifies telescope aiming by guiding you to celestial targets without needing your phone's camera or direct sky pointing. Simply align with a bright star, and it helps you find objects of interest.
- No phone camera required
- Phone orientation independent
- Attaches to telescope tube
- Bright star alignment
- Object of interest catalog
- Location-based sky model
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This is an easy app that guides your telescope to target. Distinctively, this app offers a simple and unique way. 1. The app does not need phone camera to work. 2. The phone does not need to point to the sky. The phone can be in any orientation. It saves your back and neck. 3. The phone does need to be attached to your telescope using eg. Bluetac, tieback. How it works? 1. Point your telescope to a bright star in the sky. Make sure the object is in the eyepiece view. 2. Select the same bright star in the app from a list. 3. Tap Align button. Now the app is accurate in that part of the sky (within 10 degrees) and present you a list of nearby object of interest. Who is it for? It is designed for amateur astronomer who 1. wants a quick and short observation of the sky e.g 10 minutes. 2. does not want to setup phone camera and telescope alignment. 3. does not want to bend over awkwardly to use the phone. The can be attached along the tube of the telescope. The app does not use phone camera to guide user to target. It requires a bright star alignment with telescope to accurately bring user to target. User needs to have some knowledge of the bright stars. It has catalogs for Messier objects, Caldwell objects and best NGC objects. You can use it to quickly point to planets, nebulae or galaxies by using manual alignment to a nearby bright star. The app uses your location to determine the sky model. It also aligns with your telescope so that accurate pointing is possible. Quick subsequent alignment is required for different part of the sky. Please find video tutorials in the app to align the phone and telescope, to attach phone to telescope and usage manual. If you need contact me, write to ustransit74@gmail.com. Have fun!
AstroFinder
Transform your iPhone into a telescope finder without motors or alignment stars. It identifies star patterns in real-time, displaying your aim on a red-on-black chart with a guiding arrow. Find planets, deep sky objects, and more, all while running offline.
- Real-time telescope pointing
- Plate-solving star identification
- Night-vision friendly interface
- Offline operation
- Finds planets, deep sky objects, and stars
- Alt-azimuth and equatorial modes
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**AstroFinder turns your iPhone into a plate-solving push-to finder for any telescope — no motors, no alignment stars, no setting circles.** Clamp your phone beside the scope. AstroFinder takes a short exposure of the real sky, identifies the star pattern the way a research plate-solver does, and repeats about once a second — so you always know exactly where you're pointed. A red-on-black star chart shows your aim live, and a simple arrow guides you onto whatever you want to see. **Find anything** • Planets, Sun and Moon — sorted by what's up right now • Deep sky by catalog number — Messier, NGC, IC, and more, on a keyboard-free keypad • Named stars and showpiece double stars • "Best this month" — well-placed showpieces for your location, tonight, nearest to where you're already aimed **Built for the eyepiece** • Fully night-vision friendly: red on black, dimmable below the phone's own minimum • Alt-azimuth mode for Dobsonians (no field rotation) or equatorial mode for tracking mounts • Tap any object on the chart for details, then push-to it • Optional constellation lines, labels, and progressive zoom as you close in • Works in portrait or landscape, at any mounting angle **How it works** AstroFinder mounts alongside your telescope and syncs to your eyepiece in seconds. From then on, the chart and all guidance are aligned to your scope's actual aim. Everything runs on-device — no internet needed under the stars. A one-month free trial gives you a full new-moon cycle to try it. Subscription then renews yearly; cancel anytime. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.santangeli.net/astrofinder/privacy Clear skies.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: AstroFinder at 5.0 against PushToCam for Telescope's 4.1. PushToCam for Telescope's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (9 vs 1). On price, update cadence and ads 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. AstroFinder sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $12.99 per year. PushToCam for Telescope asks for nothing beyond the download.
AstroFinder holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PushToCam for Telescope has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
PushToCam for Telescope ships an update every 2 weeks, AstroFinder every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PushToCam for Telescope | AstroFinder |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (9 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 90 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | yong chong loh | Peter Santangeli |
Customer experience
PushToCam for Telescope
AstroFinder
In-app purchases
PushToCam for Telescope
No in-app purchases
AstroFinder
- AstroFinder Yearly1 Month trial$12.991 Year
Questions
Is PushToCam for Telescope free?
Is AstroFinder free?
Which has better reviews, PushToCam for Telescope or AstroFinder?
Do PushToCam for Telescope or AstroFinder have ads?
Which is updated more often, PushToCam for Telescope or AstroFinder?
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