StarMap 3D+ Plus vs SkyView® Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StarMap 3D+ Plus
Explore the cosmos with a portable star atlas. Identify planets, constellations, and deep sky objects using your device's sensors. Features detailed information and 3D visualizations for both beginners and advanced astronomers.
- Real-time satellite tracking (ISS, Hubble)
- Extensive star and deep sky object database
- Detailed constellation information and lines
- Location-based celestial object identification
- 3D universe visualization
- Adjustable date and time for celestial viewing
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Use your iPhone's compass and gyroscope to find planets, constellations, satellites, and more with crisp, colorful, high-definition Retina graphics that use every pixel of your iPhone or iPad! Hold the universe in your pocket! StarMap 3D Plus is the portable star atlas for beginners or advanced astronomers. Use StarMap 3D Plus to find the planets, stars, constellations, star clusters, galaxies, and nebulae visible to you based on your location and time. StarMap 3D will even use the compass to automatically align the map! • Real-time positions of 150 artificial satellites, including the International Space Station (ISS), and the Hubble Space Telescope • iPad Support • Over 100,000 stars, with detailed information for each of them • 6,441 deep sky objects, with details such as distance from Earth, diameter, apparent size and orientation, and morphology • All 88 modern constellations, with lines based on the outlines from "The Stars: A New Way to See Them" by H.A. Rey • MacRobert and Classic constellation lines also available • Location-based-services (LBS) / Global Positioning System (GPS) support, or manually enter your longitude and latitude • Adjustable date and time of day • Also adjust time instantaneously and interactively with the Time Scroll feature • Compass support, if present • Planetarium Mode for seeing only objects visible to you, or browse the entire celestial sphere • 3D Mode for visualizing the universe in three dimensions
SkyView® Lite
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.
- 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
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SkyView® Lite brings stargazing to everyone! Simply point your iPhone, iPad, or iPod at the sky to identify stars, constellations, satellites, and more! Downloaded over 40 million times. If you like our lite version of SkyView then you'll love our full version! It includes: a convenient Apple Watch app, a Today Widget displaying tonight's brightest objects, ALL in-app purchases offered in this version, thousands more objects to discover, and more! App Store Best of 2012 App Store Rewind 2011 -- Best Education App “If you've ever wanted to know what you're looking at in the night sky, this app is the perfect stargazer's companion.” – CNET "If you’ve ever been looking for a stargazing app for your iPhone, then this [is] definitely the one to get." – AppAdvice “SkyView is an Augmented Reality app that lets you see just what delights the sky has to offer.” – 148Apps Editor’s Choice You don't need to be an astronomer to find stars or constellations in the sky, just open SkyView® Lite and let it guide you to their location and identify them. SkyView® Lite is a beautiful and intuitive stargazing app that uses your camera to precisely spot and identify celestial objects in sky, day or night. Find your favorite constellations as they fade in and out while you scan across the sky, locate the Moon, discover distant galaxies, and witness satellite fly-bys. Features: • Simple: Point your device at the sky to identify galaxies, stars, constellations and satellites (including the ISS and Hubble) passing overhead at your location. • Sightings: set reminders for celestial events and plan an evening stargazing & spotting satellites. • Augmented Reality (AR): Use your camera to spot objects in the sky, day or night. • Sky Paths: Follow the daily sky tracks for the Sun and Moon to see their exact locations in the sky on any date & time. • Time Travel: Jump to the future or the past and see the sky on different dates and times. • Social: Capture and share beautiful images with friends and family on social networks. • Mobile: WiFi is NOT required (does not require a data signal or GPS to function). Take it camping, boating, or even flying! • Supports Space Navigator™ binoculars, spotting scope, and telescopes. What a fun way to teach yourself, your children, your students, or your friends about our wonderful universe!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SkyView® Lite at Free against StarMap 3D+ Plus's $2.99. SkyView® Lite also leads on chart position (#145 vs unranked). StarMap 3D+ Plus's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (86% vs 65%). On ratings volume, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
SkyView® Lite is free to download; StarMap 3D+ Plus costs $2.99 up front. StarMap 3D+ Plus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
StarMap 3D+ Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.8K and 19K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of StarMap 3D+ Plus's written reviews are positive against 65% of SkyView® Lite's.
StarMap 3D+ Plus ships an update every 5 weeks, SkyView® Lite every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | StarMap 3D+ Plus | SkyView® Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (6.8K ratings) — better | 4.5 (19K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 86.0% of reviews — better | 64.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6.8K | 19K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #145 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 576 MB | 122 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sanville Software | Terminal Eleven LLC |
Customer experience
StarMap 3D+ Plus
SkyView® Lite
User reviews
StarMap 3D+ Plus
From 6.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Excellent star mapping and identification
- 🔍 Detailed information on celestial objects
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🔭 Helpful for amateur astronomers
- 🌍 Works well across locations
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional tracking/alignment issues
- 🔍 Lack of detailed instructions/guides
- 🔒 Privacy concerns regarding data collection
- 🎨 Dislike for cartoon-style constellation art
SkyView® Lite
From 19K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 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
Room to improve
- 🐛 Compass/location issues causing inaccurate positioning
- 🔍 Limited free features, many paid upgrades
- 🤔 Confusing for some users to understand how it works
- 🔋 High battery consumption
Bugs and requests
StarMap 3D+ Plus
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes or freezes on launch
- Incorrect moon and planet positioning
- Inconsistent performance after updates
Requested features
4 requests- More detailed deep sky object representations
- Improved tracking and compass accuracy
- Addition of educational content and tutorials
- Customization options for constellation art
SkyView® Lite
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes or freezes on some devices
- Outdated information on certain celestial objects
- Compatibility issues with older iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- 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
In-app purchases
StarMap 3D+ Plus
- More Stars$1.99
SkyView® Lite
- Stargazing Music Pack$0.99
- Brightest Satellites & Sightings$0.99
Questions
Is StarMap 3D+ Plus free?
Is SkyView® Lite free?
Which has better reviews, StarMap 3D+ Plus or SkyView® Lite?
Do StarMap 3D+ Plus or SkyView® Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, StarMap 3D+ Plus or SkyView® Lite?
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