# Star Chart vs SkyView® Lite

The clearest difference is ads: Star Chart at none against SkyView® Lite's shown. Star Chart also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (85% vs 65%). SkyView® Lite's advantage is chart position (#117 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star Chart sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. 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 4.5 for SkyView® Lite. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25K and 19K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Star Chart's written reviews are positive against 65% of SkyView® Lite's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Chart | SkyView® Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-chart/id345542655/reviews)** | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 19K |
| Positive reviews | **85.0% of reviews** | 64.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#117** |
| Size | 28 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ESCAPE VELOCITY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/331526972) | [Terminal Eleven LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378238417) |

## 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


### SkyView® Lite

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

**Currently charting:** #117 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 Star Chart free?

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

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Star Chart or SkyView® Lite?

Star Chart is rated higher. Star Chart averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while SkyView® Lite averages 4.5 from 19K ratings.

### Do Star Chart or SkyView® Lite have ads?

SkyView® Lite shows ads; Star Chart does not.

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

Star Chart ships an update fortnightly, and SkyView® Lite every 2 months. Most recently, Star Chart was updated on September 25, 2026 and SkyView® Lite on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*