# Star Chart vs Classic Sky Map 2

The clearest difference is update cadence: Star Chart at fortnightly against Classic Sky Map 2's every 16 months. Star Chart also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 76%) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Chart sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Classic Sky Map 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Star Chart against 4.7 for Classic Sky Map 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25K and 8.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Star Chart's written reviews are positive against 76% of Classic Sky Map 2's.

Star Chart ships an update fortnightly, Classic Sky Map 2 every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Chart | Classic Sky Map 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-chart/id345542655/reviews) | **[4.7 (8.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-sky-map-2/id1137455038/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 8.9K |
| Positive reviews | **85.0% of reviews** | 75.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 16 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ESCAPE VELOCITY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/331526972) | [X04 Studios Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/510671181) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Classic Sky Map 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-sky-map-2/id1137455038)

Explore the cosmos with an intuitive and beautiful sky map.  Easily identify stars, planets, and constellations by simply pointing your device at the sky.  Track celestial events and understand astronomical movements with time-lapse features.

**Highlights:** Live sky tracking, Interactive earth map, Time-lapse sky simulation, Beautiful constellation art, Celestial object search, Night vision mode

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Straightforward and not cluttered with ads
- 🌟 Excellent for stargazing and learning about the night sky
- 🌍 Helpful ground references for locating celestial objects
- 🎓 Great educational tool for young astronomers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional calibration and alignment issues
- 🔍 Limited information on stars beyond just names
- 🌌 Can't see below the horizon
- 🗺️ Clumsy and unintuitive navigation at times
- 🔍 Small viewing area that makes it hard to see all the stars

**Reported bugs**

- Compass bearing is inaccurate
- Active tracking no longer works
- App becomes unusable after certain updates

**Requested features**

- Add information on comets, meteor showers, and other space events
- Provide an option to only show visible stars
- Improve search functionality to find planets, moons, and other objects not currently in the sky
- Offer a live tracking mode that updates in real-time


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Chart free?

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

### Is Classic Sky Map 2 free?

Classic Sky Map 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Star Chart or Classic Sky Map 2?

Classic Sky Map 2 is rated higher. Star Chart averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Classic Sky Map 2 averages 4.7 from 8.9K ratings.

### Do Star Chart or Classic Sky Map 2 have ads?

Neither Star Chart nor Classic Sky Map 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Star Chart or Classic Sky Map 2?

Star Chart ships an update fortnightly, and Classic Sky Map 2 every 16 months. Most recently, Star Chart was updated on October 20, 2026 and Classic Sky Map 2 on October 19, 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.*