Comparison

Satellite Watcher vs Satellite Tracker / Radar

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Track 150 brightest satellites
  • View satellite times and locations
  • Record satellite sightings
  • Explore 9000 visible stars
  • Identify major constellations
  • Detailed object information
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Satellite Tracker / Radar

Explore the night sky with this AR-powered guide. Identify satellites like the ISS and Starlink, constellations, and stars by pointing your phone at the sky. Get real-time tracking, pass predictions, and notifications for visible celestial events.

Highlights
  • AR Sky Guide
  • Satellite tracking (ISS, Starlink)
  • Constellation and star identification
  • Live sky radar and 3D globe
  • Pass predictions and notifications
  • Offline mode
  • Large satellite database
Features
Read full description

Turn your phone into the ultimate AR Sky Guide. Identify lights in the night sky instantly. Whether tracking the International Space Station (ISS), watching a Starlink train, or identifying Constellations, Satellite Tracker provides professional-grade data with a stunning interface. NEW: AR STARGAZING MODE Stop guessing where to look. We've expanded our Augmented Reality view to include the stars! Identify Stars & Constellations: Align your phone to see constellation lines and star names drawn over the real sky. Satellite AR: Spot the ISS, Hubble, and thousands of satellites with precise zenith alignment. Unified View: See how satellites move through the constellations in real-time. NEW: AUGMENTED REALITY (AR) MODE Stop guessing where to look. Activate the AR Sky View and point your camera at the sky. The app overlays the exact position of satellites, the ISS, and celestial objects directly on your screen. Align the zenith arrow and spot objects in seconds. CORE FEATURES: Live Sky Radar & 3D Globe Visualize Earth and its orbiters like never before. Switch between a 2D Radar Scope for polar plotting or a stunning 3D Interactive Globe to see satellite trajectories relative to the Earth's day/night line. ISS & Starlink Tracker Get precise Pass Predictions. We calculate flyovers specifically for your location using the latest SGP4 propagation data. ISS Spotter: Know exactly when the Space Station will rise and set. Starlink Trains: Track the famous "string of pearls" satellite constellations. Notify Me: Set alerts for the next 2 hours or next 6 hours so you never miss a visible pass. Massive Database (NORAD/TLE) Access a catalog of over 12,000+ objects. From active weather satellites to space junk and classified bodies. Search: Find objects by Common Name or NORAD ID. Classify: Color-coded filters for LEO, MEO, GEO, and HEO orbits. Live Telemetry: View real-time altitude, velocity, range, and doppler shift. Power User Tools Offline Mode: Heading to a dark-sky preserve? Predictions work without internet access. Device Optimization: Adjustable "Satellite Limit" to ensure smooth performance on any device. Download Satellite Tracker today and join the community of sky-watchers. Never ask "What was that light?" again.

Screenshots

Satellite Watcher4 screens
Satellite Tracker / Radar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Satellite Tracker / Radar at 4.5 against Satellite Watcher's 4.0. Satellite Tracker / Radar also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Satellite Watcher's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Satellite Tracker / Radar holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 59 and 14 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Satellite Watcher's written reviews are positive against 67% of Satellite Tracker / Radar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Satellite Watcher ships an update every 2 months, Satellite Tracker / Radar weekly. The most recent releases landed on July 29, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Satellite Watcher versus Satellite Tracker / Radar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSatellite WatcherSatellite Tracker / Radar
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (59 ratings)4.5 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.2% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings59 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarwan ShabanMICHAL DOMINIK GIZA

Customer experience

Satellite Watcher

All ratings59 ratings
Positive76.3%
Neutral6.8%
Negative16.9%
Written reviews126 reviews
Positive76.2%
Neutral9.5%
Negative14.3%

Satellite Tracker / Radar

All ratings14 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

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
Show 3 more
  • 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
Show 7 more
  • 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

Satellite Tracker / Radar

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Satellite Watcher

No in-app purchases

None

Satellite Tracker / Radar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Satellite Watcher free?
Satellite Watcher is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Satellite Tracker / Radar free?
Satellite Tracker / Radar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Satellite Watcher or Satellite Tracker / Radar?
Satellite Tracker / Radar is rated higher. Satellite Watcher averages 4.0 out of 5 from 59 ratings, while Satellite Tracker / Radar averages 4.5 from 14 ratings.
Do Satellite Watcher or Satellite Tracker / Radar have ads?
Satellite Tracker / Radar shows ads; Satellite Watcher does not.
Which is updated more often, Satellite Watcher or Satellite Tracker / Radar?
Satellite Watcher ships an update every 2 months, and Satellite Tracker / Radar weekly. Most recently, Satellite Watcher was updated on July 29, 2026 and Satellite Tracker / Radar on September 10, 2026.

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