# NASA vs SkyView® Lite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NASA at none against SkyView® Lite's 2. NASA also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). SkyView® Lite's advantage is chart position (#119 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. NASA asks for nothing beyond the download.

NASA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64K and 19K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 65% of SkyView® Lite's.

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, SkyView® Lite every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA | SkyView® Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516/reviews)** | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 19K |
| Positive reviews | **69.9% of reviews** | 64.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#119** |
| Size | 60 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [Terminal Eleven LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378238417) |

## 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


### SkyView® Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865)

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Identify stars, constellations, satellites, and more by simply pointing your device at the sky. This augmented reality app makes stargazing accessible to everyone, day or night. Explore celestial paths and even travel through time to view the sky on different dates.

**Highlights:** Identify stars, constellations, and satellites, Augmented Reality (AR) stargazing, Set reminders for celestial events, View sky paths for Sun and Moon, Time travel to view past/future skies, Capture and share sky images

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stargazing Music Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brightest Satellites & Sightings | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Accurate star and planet tracking
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🔭 Helpful for learning about the night sky
- 💫 Engaging and educational for all ages
- 🌌 Realistic AR display of celestial objects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compass/location issues causing inaccurate positioning
- 🔍 Limited free features, many paid upgrades
- 🤔 Confusing for some users to understand how it works
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on some devices
- Outdated information on certain celestial objects
- Compatibility issues with older iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add more celestial objects like satellites, comets, and nebulae
- Improve compass calibration and location accuracy
- Provide more detailed information and facts about stars/planets
- Integrate with virtual reality for immersive stargazing experience
- Add reminders for upcoming astronomical events


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA free?

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

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

SkyView® Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NASA or SkyView® Lite?

NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while SkyView® Lite averages 4.5 from 19K ratings.

### Do NASA or SkyView® Lite have ads?

SkyView® Lite shows ads; NASA does not.

### Which is updated more often, NASA or SkyView® Lite?

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and SkyView® Lite every 2 months. Most recently, NASA was updated on September 25, 2026 and SkyView® Lite on September 24, 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.*