# Planetary Compass vs NAPA

The clearest difference is rating: NAPA at 4.7 against Planetary Compass's 1.8. NAPA also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Planetary Compass's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

NAPA holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Planetary Compass's written reviews are positive against 75% of NAPA's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Planetary Compass ships an update every 6 days, NAPA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planetary Compass | NAPA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-compass/id1665242068/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/napa-star-map/id6475964108/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 8 MB | 287 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gaston Sobrevilla](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580321667) | [National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Public Organization)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725468782) |

## What reviewers say

### Planetary Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetary-compass/id1665242068)

Discover the location of planets in the night sky. This app helps you identify celestial bodies like Mars and Jupiter, indicating their position, altitude, and magnitude. It also informs you if a planet is visible without optical aid.

**Highlights:** Indicates Azimuth, Altitude, and Magnitude, Helps locate planets by rotating phone, Indicates naked-eye visibility, Identifies planets like Mars and Jupiter

**In-app purchases:** none


### NAPA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/napa-star-map/id6475964108)

Explore the night sky with this astronomy and planetarium app. Identify stars, constellations, and planets by pointing your device at the sky. Plan future observations by adjusting the time and date.

**Highlights:** Point and observe celestial objects, Star map functionality, Time adjustment for observation planning, Simulate planet positions, Locate specific celestial objects, Real images of deep sky objects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planetary Compass free?

Planetary Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NAPA free?

NAPA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Planetary Compass or NAPA?

NAPA is rated higher. Planetary Compass averages 1.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while NAPA averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Planetary Compass or NAPA have ads?

Planetary Compass shows ads; NAPA does not.

### Which is updated more often, Planetary Compass or NAPA?

Planetary Compass ships an update every 6 days, and NAPA every 2 months. Most recently, Planetary Compass was updated on September 15, 2026 and NAPA on September 7, 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.*