# Sputnik! vs SatCatcher

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sputnik! at 92% against SatCatcher's 53%. Sputnik! also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). SatCatcher's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sputnik! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SatCatcher asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sputnik! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sputnik! has 731 ratings behind it against 80, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Sputnik!'s written reviews are positive against 53% of SatCatcher's.

Sputnik! ships an update every 5 months, SatCatcher every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sputnik! | SatCatcher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sputnik/id393001070/reviews)** | [4.3 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satcatcher-dish-set-and-pointing/id1115972770/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **731** | 80 |
| Positive reviews | **92.2% of reviews** | 52.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applicate Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/299117183) | [Souria HAKKAR](https://appshunter.io/developer/591620891) |

## What reviewers say

### Sputnik!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sputnik/id393001070)

Track the International Space Station and bright satellites with precise timing and location data. Get second-by-second countdowns, set reminders, and view satellite paths in the night sky. Supports offline calculations and sharing sightings.

**Highlights:** Accurate satellite and ISS sighting predictions, Starlink satellite train detection, Second-by-second countdowns, Sighting reminders, Compass direction and elevation display, Night sky path visualization, Offline calculations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Go ad-free | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate satellite tracking
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔭 Supports tracking of various satellites (ISS, Hubble, Starlink)
- ⏰ Provides countdown and reminders for sightings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App not working/crashing for some users
- 🔍 Unclear information about satellite visibility (e.g. what 'enters Earth's shadow' means)
- 🔧 Difficulty updating satellite data
- 🙈 Dark mode text visibility issues

**Reported bugs**

- App reporting 'No Sightings' for all categories
- Null check errors when selecting satellite sightings
- Issues with location settings and data updates

**Requested features**

- Add support for more satellite types
- Improve sky chart visualization and orientation
- Provide filtering options (e.g. by elevation, magnitude)
- Implement automatic data updates


### SatCatcher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satcatcher-dish-set-and-pointing/id1115972770)

This app simplifies satellite dish installation and alignment using augmented reality and GPS. It guides you through choosing a satellite, finding its position in space, and adjusting your antenna for optimal signal reception.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality satellite display, GPS location and satellite direction, Compass and sound assistant for orientation, Accelerometer for vertical support check, LNB polarization calculation, Elevation adjustment guide

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sputnik! free?

Sputnik! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SatCatcher free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sputnik! or SatCatcher?

Sputnik! is rated higher. Sputnik! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while SatCatcher averages 4.3 from 80 ratings.

### Do Sputnik! or SatCatcher have ads?

SatCatcher shows ads; Sputnik! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sputnik! or SatCatcher?

Sputnik! ships an update every 5 months, and SatCatcher every 9 months. Most recently, Sputnik! was updated on September 23, 2026 and SatCatcher on September 24, 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.*