NASA vs MeteorActive
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NASA
Explore the universe with access to live and on-demand NASA+ videos, a vast collection of stunning images, and the latest mission news. Discover interactive augmented reality experiences and track the International Space Station's path.
- NASA+ video streaming
- 21,000+ NASA images
- Latest NASA news
- Mission updates
- Podcasts
- ISS tracking and Sky View
- Augmented reality experiences
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The redesigned NASA App unlocks access to the new NASA+ video streaming service, plus all the latest NASA images, news, mission information, podcasts, and interactive augmented reality experiences to explore -- putting the universe at your fingertips! With the NASA App, you'll be able to: • Explore with unlimited access to NASA+, featuring all of NASA's official live coverage and original on-demand video series. No subscription required. • Easily view over 21,000 of the latest NASA images • Rate images and explore all of the highest rated ones • Read all the latest NASA news and feature articles • Get the latest updates on Artemis, the James Webb Space Telescope, and other exciting NASA missions. • Listen to our podcasts featuring astronauts and experts who take you on a tour of the galaxy without ever leaving Earth. • Set an alert for when the International Space Station will fly over your location and use the Sky View feature to help you locate the station during the visible pass • Experience our rovers and rockets up close and personal with augmented reality. • And so much more! Download the updated NASA App now!
MeteorActive
Get accurate meteor shower forecasts based on your location, moon phase, and light pollution. Discover major events, upcoming nights, and hourly estimates for the best viewing opportunities.
- Major events calendar
- Upcoming nights predictions
- Hour-by-hour estimates
- Meteor showers reference
- Location-based accuracy
- Moon interference calculation
- Light pollution consideration
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The most accurate meteor activity forecast • Major events calendar • Upcoming nights predictions • Hour-by-hour estimates • Meteor showers reference Meteor activity varies greatly from one night to another. Most of the time you can expect to see 3-15 meteors per hour, but several times per year this number could rise to 90, or even more! The MeteorActive app uses the latest scientific findings and cutting edge technology to calculate how many meteors you can see at given time. It takes into account your geographical location, meteoroid stream orbits, moon interference and light pollution to find the most spectacular events for you. Clear skies!
Screenshots
Verdict
NASA and MeteorActive both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 89% of MeteorActive's written reviews are positive against 70% of NASA's. NASA's advantage is ratings volume (64K vs 2.3K) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for NASA against 4.8 for MeteorActive. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NASA has 64K ratings behind it against 2.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 89% of MeteorActive's.
NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, MeteorActive every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NASA | MeteorActive |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (64K ratings) — better | 4.8 (2.3K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | 88.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 64K — better | 2.3K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NASA | Alexander Vasenin |
Customer experience
NASA
MeteorActive
User reviews
NASA
From 64K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast loading
- 👍 Informative and educational
- 🌟 Amazing images and videos
- 💻 Great for learning about space
- 🔭 Comprehensive space information
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 📺 Missing live streaming features
- 🔄 Outdated user interface
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
MeteorActive
From 2.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Amazing app with great features
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🔭 Detailed and accurate information on meteor showers
- 💫 Stunning visualizations and animations
- 🆓 Free and ad-free app
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🕰️ Missing notifications for upcoming events
- 🗺️ Lacking location-based features
- 🔍 Could use more detailed instructions and explanations
Bugs and requests
NASA
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes on launch for some devices
- Inability to close/exit image viewer
- Notifications not working as expected
- Incompatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- Add live streaming of NASA TV
- Improve navigation and search
- Implement dark mode option
- Bring back old features (e.g. APOD widget, ISS sightings)
- Enhance 3D models and AR capabilities
MeteorActive
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes when trying to access certain features
- Charts and visualizations not updating correctly
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
Requested features
4 requests- Add notification system for meteor showers
- Integrate with calendar app for easy scheduling
- Provide more location-specific data and recommendations
- Expand coverage to include more minor meteor showers
In-app purchases
NASA
No in-app purchases
MeteorActive
No in-app purchases
