# SatNOGS vs Color Lab 255

The clearest difference is update cadence: Color Lab 255 at every 2 days against SatNOGS's every 5 months. SatNOGS's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, 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.

SatNOGS ships an update every 5 months, Color Lab 255 every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SatNOGS | Color Lab 255 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satnogs/id1669797826/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Victor Belov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1356487489) | [DESISLAVA YANEVA RAYKOVA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822127867) |

## What reviewers say

### SatNOGS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satnogs/id1669797826)

Access a global network of satellite ground stations to communicate with satellites and observe their data. The platform is open to all, with public observation results freely distributed. Resources are available for building your own ground station.

**Highlights:** Global ground station network access, Remote ground station operation, Satellite communication, Public observation data access, Ground station building resources

**In-app purchases:** none


### Color Lab 255

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-lab-255/id6757189833)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SatNOGS free?

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

### Is Color Lab 255 free?

Color Lab 255 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SatNOGS or Color Lab 255 have ads?

Neither SatNOGS nor Color Lab 255 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SatNOGS or Color Lab 255?

SatNOGS ships an update every 5 months, and Color Lab 255 every 2 days. Most recently, SatNOGS was updated on October 16, 2026 and Color Lab 255 on October 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.*