# Nstar vs Highlands

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Highlands at 466 against Nstar's 5. Highlands also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (85% vs 67%). Nstar's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Nstar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Highlands has 466 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Nstar's written reviews are positive against 85% of Highlands's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Nstar ships an update every 3 months, Highlands every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nstar | Highlands |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nstar/id363503636/reviews)** | [4.8 (466 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlands/id467173106/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **466** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **85.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 60 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Northstar Church Inc (FL)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524505246) | [Church of the Highlands](https://appshunter.io/developer/467173109) |

## What reviewers say

### Nstar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nstar/id363503636)

Access sermons, music, and blogs from Northstar Church anytime. Stay connected with church news and share content with friends and family via social media or email.

**Highlights:** Watch and listen to full sermons, Access entire media library, Stay updated with church news, Share content via social media, Share content via email

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Highlands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highlands/id467173106)

This app connects users with a church community, offering on-demand messages, live service streaming, and a Bible reading plan. Users can also find information on church events, locations, and more.

**Highlights:** On-demand messages, One Year Bible reading plan, Live service streaming, Church event information, Church location details

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to navigate and find content
- 📖 Excellent One Year Bible reading plan feature
- 🎬 Comprehensive sermon library with live streaming
- ✨ Improved graphics and modern design
- 🙏 Spiritual growth and connection to church

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app freezing and glitching
- 🐛 Audio playback issues and stuttering
- 📱 Poor landscape mode support on iPad
- 🔊 Bluetooth connectivity problems in vehicles
- ♿ Limited accessibility features for low vision users

**Reported bugs**

- Cafe order online shows church addresses instead of menu
- Cannot skip forward/backward in audio without freezing
- App freezes at half screen on iPad
- Sermon playback doesn't resume from saved position
- Screen locks cause audio to stop playing

**Requested features**

- Highlight and underline text in One Year Bible
- Calendar feature to track completed Bible readings
- Ability to save and access notes within app
- Blank note pages for services without outlines
- Copy and paste functionality for devotionals


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nstar free?

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

### Is Highlands free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nstar or Highlands?

Nstar is rated higher. Nstar averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Highlands averages 4.8 from 466 ratings.

### Do Nstar or Highlands have ads?

Neither Nstar nor Highlands shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nstar or Highlands?

Nstar ships an update every 3 months, and Highlands every 3 weeks. Most recently, Nstar was updated on October 3, 2026 and Highlands on October 20, 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.*