# The Photographer's Ephemeris vs Timecode

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Timecode at none against The Photographer's Ephemeris's 6. Timecode also leads on price ($3.99 vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). The Photographer's Ephemeris's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 24) and chart position (#53 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

The Photographer's Ephemeris costs $9.99 and Timecode $3.99 up front. The Photographer's Ephemeris sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Timecode asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Photographer's Ephemeris holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Photographer's Ephemeris has 1.6K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 81% and 81% positive.

The Photographer's Ephemeris ships an update every 2 months, Timecode every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Photographer's Ephemeris | Timecode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-photographers-ephemeris/id366195670/reviews)** | [4.6 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timecode/id408226969/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 80.6% of reviews | 80.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#53** | — |
| Size | 95 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crookneck Consulting LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/366195673) | [Panoptik](https://appshunter.io/developer/408226972) |

## What reviewers say

### The Photographer's Ephemeris

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-photographers-ephemeris/id366195670)

**Currently charting:** #53 Top Paid · Photo & Video (US App Store)

Plan outdoor photography shoots with this map-centric calculator for sun, moon, and Milky Way positions. Visualize light direction, plan celestial alignments, and scout locations with augmented reality. Features offline maps and detailed celestial event data.

**Highlights:** Sun, Moon, and Milky Way rise/set times and positions, 3D Milky Way and star visualization, Augmented reality for on-location scouting, Offline map support, Shadow length visualization, Celestial event tracking

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Skyfire Plus (3-months) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Skyfire (3-months) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Skyfire Plus (3-months) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Skyfire Plus (1-year) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Skyfire (1-year) | $24.99 | one-time |
| Skyfire Plus (1-year) | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent planning tool
- 🌄 Accurate sun/moon tracking
- 📍 Useful location-based features
- 🔍 Detailed information for photographers
- 🎨 Helps create better photos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Steep learning curve
- 🔍 Difficult to use interface
- 🔌 Skyfire feature not reliable
- 🗺️ Mapping issues in some areas
- 🔒 Subscription model for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when loading TPE-3D
- Logout issues with Skyfire subscription
- Inaccurate elevation data in some locations

**Requested features**

- Add tide information
- Improve location saving and syncing
- Provide better tutorials and documentation
- Integrate with other photography apps
- Add support for more regions/countries


### Timecode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timecode/id408226969)

Perform fast, ultra-precise timecode calculations and film unit conversions. View multiple units simultaneously on any frame rate, including film rolls and frame results. Save and share your calculations in an elegant log.

**Highlights:** Timecode calculations, Film unit conversions, Multiple unit display, Preset formats and frame rates, Comprehensive calculation log, Elegant user interface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Photographer's Ephemeris free?

The Photographer's Ephemeris costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Timecode free?

Timecode costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Photographer's Ephemeris or Timecode?

The Photographer's Ephemeris is rated higher. The Photographer's Ephemeris averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Timecode averages 4.6 from 24 ratings.

### Do The Photographer's Ephemeris or Timecode have ads?

Neither The Photographer's Ephemeris nor Timecode shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Photographer's Ephemeris or Timecode?

The Photographer's Ephemeris ships an update every 2 months, and Timecode every 5 months. Most recently, The Photographer's Ephemeris was updated on October 27, 2026 and Timecode on October 22, 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.*