# Sputnik! vs Optix Outbound

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Optix Outbound at none against Sputnik!'s 1. Optix Outbound also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months). Sputnik!'s advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Sputnik! ships an update every 5 months, Optix Outbound every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sputnik! | Optix Outbound |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sputnik/id393001070/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **731** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 35 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Applicate Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/299117183) | [Timothy Emerick](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875640932) |

## 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


### Optix Outbound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optix-outbound/id6758903364)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sputnik! free?

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

### Is Optix Outbound free?

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

### Do Sputnik! or Optix Outbound have ads?

Neither Sputnik! nor Optix Outbound shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sputnik! or Optix Outbound?

Sputnik! ships an update every 5 months, and Optix Outbound every 5 days. Most recently, Sputnik! was updated on October 2, 2026 and Optix Outbound on September 28, 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.*