# NASA vs AstroAid

The clearest difference is price: NASA at Free against AstroAid's $2.99. NASA also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (64K vs 44). AstroAid's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.6). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

NASA is free to download; AstroAid costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NASA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NASA has 64K ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of NASA's written reviews are positive against 71% of AstroAid'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, AstroAid fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NASA | AstroAid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (64K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nasa/id334325516/reviews)** | [4.3 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astroaid/id541448395/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64K** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **71.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 60 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **10.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/355542146) | [iLanga, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/541448398) |

## 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


### AstroAid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astroaid/id541448395)

Visualize what you'll see through your telescope with different eyepieces and optical aids. Plan your astrophotography by pairing cameras with telescopes to see what fits in the frame. Includes astronomical catalogs and equipment lists.

**Highlights:** Telescope/eyepiece/imager field of view simulation, Magnification and visual magnitude limit calculation, Built-in astronomical object catalogs (Messier, NGC, IC), Searchable object catalogs with downloadable images, Extensive equipment lists with custom entry support, iCloud synchronization for custom equipment

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NASA free?

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

### Is AstroAid free?

AstroAid costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NASA or AstroAid?

NASA is rated higher. NASA averages 4.8 out of 5 from 64K ratings, while AstroAid averages 4.3 from 44 ratings.

### Do NASA or AstroAid have ads?

Neither NASA nor AstroAid shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NASA or AstroAid?

NASA ships an update every 2 weeks, and AstroAid fortnightly. Most recently, NASA was updated on October 21, 2026 and AstroAid on October 15, 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.*