Satellite Watcher vs SatelliteSkill5
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Satellite Watcher
Track and identify visible satellites, stars, and constellations. Explore detailed information about celestial objects and record your sightings. Perfect for astronomy enthusiasts and educational purposes.
- Track 150 brightest satellites
- View satellite times and locations
- Record satellite sightings
- Explore 9000 visible stars
- Identify major constellations
- Detailed object information
- Offline functionality
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This app tracks the 150 brightest man-made objects in space, which can be seen by the human eye. Use it to see the time and location such objects can be seen. It also lets you record when you saw each satellite. You can also use this app to explore all 9000 stars visible to the human eye, as well as major constellations. Educational notes are displayed for satellites, constellations and well-known stars. Some of the app's features: * Preview mode lets you browse through future satellite passes, displaying the magnitude, path and time the satellite will appear * Real-Time mode shows you what is in the sky now, with the current location, magnitude and path for each satellite. If multiple satellites are in the sky, it shows them all simultaneously * Tap on a satellite's name to view detailed information including country of origin, launch date, magnitude (brightness), and more * Tap on a constellation's name to view its educational notes * The app lets you keep track of which satellites you've seen and when. You can tell it you see a satellite now, or enter a past sighting * The device detects your location automatically, but you can also enter the latitude and longitude yourself, or your U.S. zip code * Choose which satellite you want to scan for, or all satellites * Choose how many days into the future to scan for satellites, up to 30 days * Choose the minimum elevation for a satellites to be shown * Choose the minimum magnitude (brightness) for a satellites to be shown * Works offline (you should go online to download satellite data once every couple of days) * Displays weather warnings if clouds will be present (in the U.S. only) * Works on iPhone and iPad If you like science and astronomy, you will have great fun spotting satellites! All you need is a clear night with no moon. For best results, choose a location away from city lights. In the beginning, focus on the brighter satellites passing directly overhead. Satellites are visible after sunset (for about an hour) and before sunrise (also for about an hour) when the sky is dark and satellites reflect the sun's light. This is a great educational activity for kids.
SatelliteSkill5
Explore satellites, earth observation, and spatial data through immersive augmented reality challenges. Uncover how satellite technology aids in understanding our planet and contributes to sustainable development goals.
- Augmented reality challenges
- Satellite exploration
- Earth observation insights
- Spatial data and maps
- Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
- Interactive virtual tours
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Unleash your inner explorer with SatelliteSkill5, the ultimate app for diving into the captivating world of satellites, earth observation, spatial data, maps, and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Prepare for an immersive journey filled with thrilling augmented reality challenges that will leave you craving for more! Embark on a mind-bending adventure as SatelliteSkill5 takes you on a virtual tour of the heavens. Discover the secrets behind satellites and how they revolutionise our understanding of our planet. Immerse yourself in interactive experiences that will transport you to the farthest reaches of space, offering breathtaking views of Earth and unveiling the wonders of satellite technology. Through engaging augmented reality challenges, SatelliteSkill5 transforms learning into a thrilling quest. Delve into the realm of spatial data and maps, unraveling the mysteries they hold and unlocking their potential for solving real-world problems. From climate change to urban planning, gain a profound understanding of how satellite observations and spatial data contribute to a sustainable future. More info at https://5sdiscover.maynoothuniversity.ie/ This project is funded by Science Foundation Ireland and Esero Ireland and is supported by: Maynooth University, TU Dublin, Ordnance Survey Ireland, Esri Ireland and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SatelliteSkill5 at 5.0 against Satellite Watcher's 4.0. SatelliteSkill5 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). Satellite Watcher's advantage is ratings volume (59 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SatelliteSkill5 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Satellite Watcher has 59 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Satellite Watcher ships an update every 2 months, SatelliteSkill5 monthly. The most recent releases landed on July 29, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Satellite Watcher | SatelliteSkill5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (59 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 59 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 301 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marwan Shaban | Jonathan Faull |
Customer experience
Satellite Watcher
SatelliteSkill5
Bugs and requests
Satellite Watcher
Reported bugs
8 issues- App crashes or shows black screen after updates
- Incompatibility with iOS 11 and newer iOS versions
- Ground plot graph stopped working
- Star chart misalignment with actual sky
- Incomplete satellite database compared to visible satellites
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- Difficulty changing time to predict future passes
- Only displays portion of sky in some cases
- Text size doesn't remain larger when zooming
Requested features
12 requests- Update for iOS 11+ compatibility
- Apple Watch support
- iPad native version
- Alarm/notification for upcoming satellite passes
- Ability to select multiple satellites to track
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- Daylight pass visibility for bright satellites
- Visible magnitude threshold settings
- Database or link to special satellites (ISS, HST)
- Larger buttons for easier interaction
- Better user tutorial or manual
- Reminder feature for upcoming passes
- Include 'tonight' in days to scan option
SatelliteSkill5
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Satellite Watcher
No in-app purchases
SatelliteSkill5
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Satellite Watcher free?
Is SatelliteSkill5 free?
Which has better reviews, Satellite Watcher or SatelliteSkill5?
Do Satellite Watcher or SatelliteSkill5 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Satellite Watcher or SatelliteSkill5?
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