Comparison

Pocket Universe vs EclipseGo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pocket Universe

Explore the night sky with this intuitive guide. Identify planets, constellations, and satellites by simply pointing your device. Discover celestial events, track celestial bodies, and learn about thousands of astronomical objects.

Highlights
  • Live sky view with object identification
  • Time travel for celestial event prediction
  • Explore mode for upcoming events and solar activity
  • Search and browse celestial objects
  • Detailed information on thousands of objects
  • Home Screen widgets for Sun/Moon times and Moon phase
  • Customizable viewing modes with night vision
Features
Read full description

There's never been a better time to get into Astronomy! Start off easy with an app that will guide you around the night sky - and even entertain you a little when the skies are cloudy. "The app works beautifully, making astronomy a bit less mysterious—but no less remarkable", MacWorld "It’s truly an impressive marvel. 5 Mice out of 5", MacWorld. "..one of the prettiest and easiest to use. And at three bucks, it’s a steal", Cult of Mac. Apple App Store Staff Favorite Voted Best Educational iPhone Application by AppAdvice --- Pocket Universe 2 turns your iPhone or iPad into an intuitive guide to the night sky. Just point your device upward to instantly identify what’s overhead—planets, constellations, comets, satellites, and deep-sky wonders. Designed for clarity and ease of use, Pocket Universe 2 helps you learn the sky naturally, whether you’re stepping outside for a quick look or exploring in detail from your couch. Key features • Live sky view: Aim your device to identify stars, planets, the ISS, satellites, comets, and bright deep-sky objects in real time. • Time travel: Scrub hours or days forward and back, jump to sunrise, sunset, golden hour, moonrise, or moonset - and return to “now” instantly. • Explore mode: Discover what’s worth looking for tonight, with summaries of upcoming events, solar activity, Moon phases and maps, Jupiter and Saturn’s moons and rings, a full Solar System orrery, and dedicated ISS and satellite views. • Find anything fast: Search by name, browse curated “cool things” lists, or jump straight to planets and other Solar System bodies. • Rich object details: Learn about thousands of objects, including planets, stars, galaxies, nebulae, and more. • Widgets: Add Sun and Moon times and Moon phase to your Home Screen or desktop. • Deep customization: Night vision mode, labels, grids, constellation lines, satellites, comets, and more. Save presets to switch instantly between your favorite viewing modes. Pocket Universe 2 is the sequel to Pocket Universe, one of the first astronomy apps on the App Store. It has been completely rewritten using modern frameworks and tools to deliver a faster, cleaner, and more immersive stargazing experience. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

EclipseGo

Plan and experience the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, in Spain. This app provides a map of the totality path, eclipse timings, live countdown, weather forecasts, and phase simulations. Learn how to observe safely and discover optimal viewing locations.

Highlights
  • Eclipse path map
  • Live countdown and alerts
  • Weather forecast
  • Phase simulation
  • Safe observation guidance
  • Educational content
Features
Read full description

Experience and plan the total solar eclipse of August 2, 2027 in Spain and North Africa. EclipseGo is your all-in-one companion for one of the most spectacular astronomical events of the century: an interactive totality map, precise local timings, live weather forecasts, visual simulation, and countdown. Everything you need to decide where, when, and how to watch the great eclipse. PLAN YOUR ECLIPSE IN DETAIL • Interactive map featuring the path of totality across Spain and North Africa. • Exact contact times: start, maximum totality, and end for your location or any chosen city. • Check estimated totality duration and obscuration percentage. • Discover top viewing destinations and optimal observation spots. WEATHER FORECAST & OBSERVATION ODDS Clear skies make all the difference. As the date approaches: • Check cloud cover predictions and real observation probabilities. • Track temperature, wind speed, and hourly morning progression. • Compare locations to find sites with an unobstructed eastern horizon. SIMULATE THE ECLIPSE ON SCREEN • Play an accurate step-by-step visual simulation for your selected town. • Watch the solar disk change from first contact to total darkness and exit. COUNTDOWN & ALERTS • Live countdown timer tracking every second until the main event. • Set reminders for essential planning milestones. • Generate and share your custom countdown card on social media. SAFETY & VIEWING GUIDE • Educational articles on solar observation, eclipse photography, and travel logistics. • Crucial eye protection guidelines and checklist. EYE SAFETY WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun without certified eye protection. Always wear eclipse glasses compliant with ISO 12312-2 standards or approved solar filters. Follow all in-app safety guidance. Notice: Astronomical calculations and timings are provided for planning purposes. Always cross-check with official sources before traveling.

Screenshots

Pocket Universe4 screens
EclipseGo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: EclipseGo at 5.0 against Pocket Universe's 4.5. EclipseGo also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). Pocket Universe's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (254 vs 1). On price and update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pocket Universe sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. EclipseGo asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EclipseGo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Universe has 254 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pocket Universe ships an update every 5 weeks, EclipseGo monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Pocket Universe versus EclipseGo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocket UniverseEclipseGo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (254 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings254 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size111 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohn KennedyArchivados Network SL

Customer experience

Pocket Universe

All ratings254 ratings
Positive87.0%
Neutral2.4%
Negative10.6%
Written reviews490 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral8.4%
Negative19.0%

EclipseGo

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Pocket Universe

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes on launch
  • Compass issues
  • Inaccurate sky positioning
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

8 requests
  • Ability to set time and date
  • Improved motion tracking and compass calibration
  • Larger text size options
  • More detailed information on stars, galaxies, etc.
  • Comet and asteroid tracking
Show 3 more
  • Satellite tracking
  • Southern hemisphere sky view
  • Wikipedia integration for more objects

EclipseGo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pocket Universe

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly subscription$0.991 Month
  • Annual subscription$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pocket Universe Lifetime unlock$19.99
None

EclipseGo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pocket Universe free?
Pocket Universe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is EclipseGo free?
EclipseGo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Pocket Universe or EclipseGo?
EclipseGo is rated higher. Pocket Universe averages 4.5 out of 5 from 254 ratings, while EclipseGo averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Pocket Universe or EclipseGo have ads?
EclipseGo shows ads; Pocket Universe does not.
Which is updated more often, Pocket Universe or EclipseGo?
Pocket Universe ships an update every 5 weeks, and EclipseGo monthly. Most recently, Pocket Universe was updated on September 30, 2026 and EclipseGo on September 29, 2026.

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