# StarMap 3D vs Stellar Tour

The clearest difference is price: Stellar Tour at Free against StarMap 3D's $1.99. StarMap 3D's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Stellar Tour is free to download; StarMap 3D costs $1.99 up front. StarMap 3D sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Stellar Tour sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for StarMap 3D against 4.7 for Stellar Tour. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of StarMap 3D's written reviews are positive against 84% of Stellar Tour's.

StarMap 3D ships an update every 6 weeks, Stellar Tour every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StarMap 3D | Stellar Tour |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starmap-3d/id324038407/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stellar-tour/id1197929178/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.4K | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **88.7% of reviews** | 83.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 111 MB | 582 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sanville Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/324038410) | [Aaron Day](https://appshunter.io/developer/1028872452) |

## What reviewers say

### StarMap 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starmap-3d/id324038407)

Explore the night sky with this astronomy guide. It uses your device's sensors to identify planets, constellations, and deep sky objects in real-time. Discover detailed information about celestial bodies and visualize the universe in 3D.

**Highlights:** Real-time celestial object identification, Augmented reality night sky view, Detailed information on stars and deep sky objects, Constellation artwork and line options, Location-based celestial mapping, 3D universe visualization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Constellation Artwork | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| More Stars | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate mapping of stars and planets
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 💡 Useful for learning about the night sky
- 🌟 Provides a great stargazing experience
- 🔭 Helpful for amateur astronomers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccuracies in mapping
- 🧭 Compass/directional issues
- 🌌 Limited information on deep sky objects
- 🕰️ Time slider could be more intuitive

**Reported bugs**

- Calendar integration issues
- Incorrect positioning of celestial bodies

**Requested features**

- Improved 3D mode and controls
- More detailed information on planets, stars, and galaxies
- Alerts for upcoming astronomical events
- Option to search for specific celestial objects


### Stellar Tour

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stellar-tour/id1197929178)

Explore the cosmos with an augmented reality stargazing app guided by an astrophysicist. Discover exoplanets, solar system bodies, and deep-sky objects with scientifically accurate narratives and detailed visuals.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality stargazing, Astrophysicist-guided tours, Detailed exoplanet information, High-resolution solar system visuals, Exploration of galaxies and nebulae, Interactive 3D planet and moon models

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade: Lessons & Sky Tools | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cosmic Expansion | $9.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads 2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads 3 | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Amazing app
- 👍 Excellent for stargazing and learning
- 🔭 Helpful for identifying stars and constellations
- 🌌 Detailed information on planets and exoplanets
- 🎓 Great educational tool for all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🤔 Some features not intuitive or user-friendly
- 💰 Wish it was completely free without in-app purchases
- 🌍 Language localization could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Videos not playing offline as expected

**Requested features**

- Add support for viewing comets and other celestial events
- Improve AR functionality and integration
- Provide more detailed information on exoplanets
- Introduce a dark mode option for better visibility at night


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StarMap 3D free?

StarMap 3D costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Stellar Tour free?

Stellar Tour is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, StarMap 3D or Stellar Tour?

StarMap 3D is rated higher. StarMap 3D averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Stellar Tour averages 4.7 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do StarMap 3D or Stellar Tour have ads?

Neither StarMap 3D nor Stellar Tour shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StarMap 3D or Stellar Tour?

StarMap 3D ships an update every 6 weeks, and Stellar Tour every 3 weeks. Most recently, StarMap 3D was updated on October 29, 2026 and Stellar Tour on October 26, 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.*