# NASA vs Star Chart

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NASA at none against Star Chart's 7. NASA also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Star Chart's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Chart sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. NASA asks for nothing beyond the download.

NASA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64K and 25K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 85% of Star Chart's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, Star Chart fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA | Star Chart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516/reviews)** | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-chart/id345542655/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 25K |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **85.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **7.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [ESCAPE VELOCITY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/331526972) |

## What reviewers say

### NASA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516)

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.

**Highlights:** NASA+ video streaming, 21,000+ NASA images, Latest NASA news, Mission updates, Podcasts, ISS tracking and Sky View, Augmented reality experiences

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast loading
- 👍 Informative and educational
- 🌟 Amazing images and videos
- 💻 Great for learning about space
- 🔭 Comprehensive space information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 📺 Missing live streaming features
- 🔄 Outdated user interface
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Star Chart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-chart/id345542655)

Explore the cosmos with this augmented reality astronomy app. Point your device at the sky to identify stars, planets, and constellations in real-time. Discover celestial bodies and their positions, even traveling through time to view the universe's past and future.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality sky identification, 3D simulation of the visible universe, Real-time celestial object tracking, Time shift to view past/future sky, Explore planets, moons, and sun, View constellations and deep sky objects, Detailed object information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Comets | $2.99 | one-time |
| Meteor Showers | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extended Solar System | $4.99 | one-time |
| Enhanced Constellations | $4.99 | one-time |
| Satellites | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extended Star Catalog | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enhanced Messier Catalog | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💫 Impressive visuals
- 🌌 Comprehensive celestial information
- 🔍 Helpful for learning constellations
- 🌍 Accurate location tracking
- 🌠 Enjoyable stargazing experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⚠️ Outdated and unsupported
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🗺️ Inaccurate mapping and calibration
- 🔍 Missing key celestial objects

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Purchased upgrades not working
- Incorrect positioning of celestial objects
- GPS location not detected properly
- Scrolling and navigation issues

**Requested features**

- Update app with latest celestial objects
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Offer more affordable in-app purchases
- Enhance mapping and calibration accuracy
- Add search functionality for specific stars/planets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA free?

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

### Is Star Chart free?

Star Chart is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NASA or Star Chart?

NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while Star Chart averages 4.6 from 25K ratings.

### Do NASA or Star Chart have ads?

Neither NASA nor Star Chart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NASA or Star Chart?

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and Star Chart fortnightly. Most recently, NASA was updated on September 25, 2026 and Star Chart on September 25, 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.*