Comparison

StarMap 3D+ Plus vs Cosmic

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

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

About

Cosmic

Explore the cosmos with this app that offers interactive tools for celestial navigation and astronomical observation. Visualize the sky, Earth, and solar system from multiple perspectives, and discover constellations, planets, and events in augmented reality. It's a blend of ancient wisdom and modern technology for a deeper connection to the universe.

Highlights
  • Multiple celestial perspectives (sky, Earth, solar system)
  • Augmented reality sky exploration
  • Interactive astronomical and world clocks
  • Visualized natal charts (Western, Vedic, Sidereal)
  • Day/night cycles on Earth globe
  • Celestial navigation guides
  • Notifications for astronomical events
Features
Read full description

The sky above you, the Earth beneath you, the solar system you move through space. Three perspectives no other app combines this way. For thousands of years humans read the sky to measure time, navigate the Earth, and find meaning in their existence. Astronomy, astrology, and timekeeping were one science. Cosmic Watch reunites them. Free for the first time in ten years. FEATURES (core) • Sky View — stars, planets, and constellations • Earth View — day and night cycle, the cosmos around it • Solar System — geocentric and heliocentric • Celestial sphere — full 360° sky overview, unique to this app • Astrology Mode — Western, Vedic and 3D • Retrograde motion across all planets • World clock and astronomical events • Notifications for eclipses, solstices, and moon cycles • Celestial navigation — orient yourself by the sky Or just watch the Earth float in space and remember where you are. Free to explore. The three views, sky guide, every layer, star names, world clock, and notifications are yours from the first open. Tools and Time Control unlock with a subscription — or forever with Cosmic Pro. Keep the project alive and growing. We read every message you send us. TOOLS (in-app purchase) • Moon Calendar • Real-Time Clouds • Meteor Showers • Comets • Planetary Aspects • Retrograde Year • Dreamspell Calendar • Atmosphere Clockface • Save Date / Time / Location • Time Control — move forward and back, any moment A full app. Not a widget or watch face, yet. Runs on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Silicon Mac Privacy committed: No account required. Analytics never shared. Webby Award for Best Educational App 2018. New York Times. Wired. Space.com. By a Chi Gong master and an animation artist. Still looking up. Time is the Cosmic Rhythm. Terms of Use: https://cosmic-watch.com/termsOfService/ Privacy Policy: https://cosmic-watch.com/privacyPolicy/

Screenshots

StarMap 3D+ Plus4 screens
Cosmic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cosmic at Free against StarMap 3D+ Plus's $2.99. StarMap 3D+ Plus's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (6.8K vs 624). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Cosmic is free to download; StarMap 3D+ Plus costs $2.99 up front. StarMap 3D+ Plus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Cosmic sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for StarMap 3D+ Plus against 4.8 for Cosmic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StarMap 3D+ Plus has 6.8K ratings behind it against 624, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of StarMap 3D+ Plus's written reviews are positive against 87% of Cosmic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StarMap 3D+ Plus ships an update every 5 weeks, Cosmic every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
StarMap 3D+ Plus versus Cosmic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarMap 3D+ PlusCosmic
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (6.8K ratings)4.8 (624 ratings)
Positive reviews86.0% of reviews87.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6.8K — better624
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#198 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size576 MB194 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSanville SoftwareCelestial Dynamics AG

Customer experience

StarMap 3D+ Plus

All ratings6,821 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews752 reviews
Positive86.0%
Neutral5.1%
Negative8.9%

Cosmic

All ratings624 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews149 reviews
Positive87.2%
Neutral4.0%
Negative8.7%

User reviews

StarMap 3D+ Plus

From 6.8K App Store ratings

What 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

Cosmic

From 624 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Visually stunning and mesmerizing
  • 🔍 Excellent for learning about the solar system and celestial sphere
  • 🕰️ Useful for tracking planetary movements and positions
  • 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive interface
  • 🧠 Highly educational and informative

Room to improve

  • 🔧 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 📍 Inaccurate location detection
  • 🔍 Overwhelming amount of information for beginners
  • ⚙️ Difficulty in customizing and managing settings
  • 🔍 Lack of clear tutorials and user guides

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

Cosmic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Date and time not accurately reflected in the solar system view
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between different modes and settings
  • Difficulty in maintaining user preferences across sessions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add an alarm feature to wake up to different celestial views
  • Implement support for Apple Watch and other wearables
  • Provide more options to customize the display and information layers
  • Include a night mode or dimmer setting for better visibility in low light
  • Integrate with other astronomy apps and tools for a more comprehensive experience

In-app purchases

1 purchases

StarMap 3D+ Plus

One-time1
  • More Stars$1.99
6 purchases

Cosmic

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Plan$0.991 Month
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$4.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • Tools Pack$2.99
  • Cosmic Pro$69.99

Questions

Is StarMap 3D+ Plus free?
StarMap 3D+ Plus costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Cosmic free?
Cosmic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StarMap 3D+ Plus or Cosmic?
StarMap 3D+ Plus and Cosmic are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6.8K and 624 ratings respectively.
Do StarMap 3D+ Plus or Cosmic have ads?
Neither StarMap 3D+ Plus nor Cosmic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StarMap 3D+ Plus or Cosmic?
StarMap 3D+ Plus ships an update every 5 weeks, and Cosmic every 6 months. Most recently, StarMap 3D+ Plus was updated on September 28, 2026 and Cosmic on September 26, 2026.

Other comparisons