Emerald Observatory for iPad vs Markpages
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Emerald Observatory for iPad
This app provides a comprehensive astronomical display on a single screen, offering detailed information about celestial bodies and timekeeping. It features a heliocentric orrery, rise and set times, twilight information, and moon phase details. Users can navigate through time and set alarms for astronomical events.
- Astronomical information display
- Heliocentric orrery
- Rise and set times for Sun, Moon, planets
- Twilight times
- Moon phase and orientation
- World map of day/night regions
- Eclipse simulator
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Emerald Observatory displays a wealth of astronomical information all on one screen, in a unique but understandable format. Information includes: - 12- and 24-hour ordinary clock time - Times of rise and set for the Sun, the Moon, and the 5 classical planets - Times of the beginning and ending of twilight - Heliocentric orrery (display of the planets in orbit around the Sun) - Altitude and azimuth for the same bodies (one body at a time) - Current phase and apparent orientation and relative size of the moon - Current regions of day and night on a world map - The Equation of Time, solar time, UTC time, and sidereal time - Month, day, year, and leap-year indicator - Daily alarm (delivered as local notification if app is not running) - Eclipse simulator - Displayed times are synchronized via NTP to "atomic clock" standard, or can be set manually - Uses iPad location, or the latitude and longitude may be set manually A setting is available to allow the display to stay on continuously. If you are having any trouble with the application whatsoever, please see our FAQ on the support page listed below and then contact us through that page if your problem is not resolved. We take pride in responding promptly to all support email requests but we can't fix it if you don't report it (and we have no way to respond to Customer Reviews on the App Store). (NTP requires Internet access. Like all apps Emerald Observatory can not change the device's internal clock.)
Markpages
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Introducing Markpages, the innovative app designed to revolutionize your online reading experience. Whether you're researching, casually browsing, or constantly finding articles you can't read right away, Markpages is here to transform how you save, organize, and access web content. Instantly turn your device into a digital reading room where every webpage is at your fingertips, organized just how you like it. Discover the seamless way to save, read later, and manage your digital reading list with Markpages. Features: Instant Save: With a single tap, save any webpage to your Markpages library. Whether it’s an article, blog post, or online publication, Markpages preserves it for you to read at your convenience—online or offline. Sophisticated Organization: Gone are the days of cluttered bookmarks. Organize your saved pages into customizable categories, tags, and lists. Easily find what you're looking for, when you need it, with our intuitive organization system. Read Later, Effortlessly: Your saved pages are optimized for a distraction-free reading experience. Enjoy your articles in a clean and reader-friendly format, away from the clutter of ads and pop-ups. Sync Across Devices: Access your saved webpages on any device. Markpages synchronizes your reading list across all your devices, ensuring you can pick up where you left off, whether at home or on the go. Discover & Share: Get recommendations based on your reading habits and explore new articles you might love. Share your finds easily with friends, family, or colleagues right from the app. Custom Reading Settings: Tailor your reading experience with customizable settings. Choose from different themes, fonts, and sizes to make reading comfortable for you, any time of the day.
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Markpages at every 3 weeks against Emerald Observatory for iPad's every 5 months. Markpages also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Emerald Observatory for iPad ships an update every 5 months, Markpages every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Emerald Observatory for iPad | Markpages |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (96 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 98.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 96 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bjorn Freeman-Benson | Mohamed Amine Bensalah |
Bugs and requests
Emerald Observatory for iPad
Requested features
14 requests- Port to screen wallpaper
- Large wall clock version
- Apple TV version
- Support for Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
- iPhone and Apple Watch versions
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- Alarm functionality
- Screen dimming for night use
- Numeric display of values
- Switch altitude/azimuth by touching planet
- Push notifications for specific events
- Custom chime sounds for events
- Round earth display to match moon display
- iPad version of Chronometer iPhone app
- Tutorial mode or on-screen help
Markpages
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Emerald Observatory for iPad
No in-app purchases
Markpages
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Emerald Observatory for iPad free?
Is Markpages free?
Do Emerald Observatory for iPad or Markpages have ads?
Which is updated more often, Emerald Observatory for iPad or Markpages?
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