Sputnik! vs Smart SF
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sputnik!
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide full description
Sputnik! is an easy to use tool for predicting when the International Space Station will pass by your location or when a bright satellite will be visible in the skies above. Sputnik! features: - Predictions of satellite and ISS sightings accurate to the second. - Detection of Starlink satellite trains. - Second by second countdown to the satellite sighting. - Set reminders of upcoming satellite sightings. - Displays compass direction and elevation for your device to easily find the part of the sky where the sighting will occur (requires capable device). - Rotate your device to landscape orientation to show exactly where the satellite will pass in the night sky. - Share sightings via Twitter, Facebook, Mail, Messages and others. - Automatic download of up to date satellite orbital data. - Offline calculations, no need to be connected to the internet once orbital data has been downloaded. - Input your location automatically by GPS, select from a map or enter coordinates manually. - Save your favorite places for easy access. - Audio cues for the last seconds before the satellite passes by. Sputnik! on Apple Watch: - Easily find the next and last sighting at your current location. * Sputnik! is ad-supported *
Smart SF
This utility app uses your device's GPS and sensors to automatically calculate and graphically display the precise elevation, azimuth, and polarization angles needed for satellite dish alignment. It offers real-time online updates for satellite parameters and firmware.
- Automatic angle calculation (elevation, azimuth, polarization)
- Real-time satellite parameter updates
- Graphical display for easy alignment
- Firmware updates for the device
- Uses GPS and directional sensors
Read full descriptionHide full description
1. Smart satellite finder APP 2. Real time online updating of satellite parameters 3. Synchronous satellite parameters to SSF 4. Update firmware to SSF 5. Automatic calculation of elevation, azimuth and polarization angle from mobile phone / tablet GPS Horizontal sensors and directional sensors 6. Graphics display elevation, azimuth, antenna can be adjusted to the correct Angle in the fastest and simplest way
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Smart SF at none against Sputnik!'s 1. Smart SF also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.0). Sputnik!'s advantage is ratings volume (731 vs 6) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Sputnik! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Smart SF asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sputnik! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sputnik! has 731 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Sputnik! ships an update every 5 months, Smart SF every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sputnik! | Smart SF |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (731 ratings) — better | 4.5 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 92.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 731 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Applicate Ltd | 强 张 |
Customer experience
Sputnik!
Smart SF
Bugs and requests
Sputnik!
Reported bugs
3 issues- App reporting 'No Sightings' for all categories
- Null check errors when selecting satellite sightings
- Issues with location settings and data updates
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for more satellite types
- Improve sky chart visualization and orientation
- Provide filtering options (e.g. by elevation, magnitude)
- Implement automatic data updates
Smart SF
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sputnik!
- Go ad-free$0.99
Smart SF
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sputnik! free?
Is Smart SF free?
Which has better reviews, Sputnik! or Smart SF?
Do Sputnik! or Smart SF have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sputnik! or Smart SF?
Other comparisons
