# Luminos vs SkySafari 7 Plus

The clearest difference is price: SkySafari 7 Plus at $9.99 against Luminos's $19.99. SkySafari 7 Plus also leads on iOS requirement (14.1 vs 16.6). Luminos's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 46%) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Luminos costs $19.99 and SkySafari 7 Plus $9.99 up front. SkySafari 7 Plus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Luminos asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Luminos against 4.7 for SkySafari 7 Plus. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Luminos's written reviews are positive against 46% of SkySafari 7 Plus's.

Luminos ships an update every 2 weeks, SkySafari 7 Plus monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Luminos | SkySafari 7 Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$9.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminos/id404664336/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-plus/id1567654881/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.6% of reviews** | 45.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 930 MB | 1.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wobbleworks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/404664339) | [Simulation Curriculum Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/791341744) |

## What reviewers say

### Luminos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminos/id404664336)

This astronomy companion app, after 12 years of updates, is being retired. A more advanced version, Luminos Pro, is available with new features and ongoing support. This version remains accessible for existing users.

**Highlights:** Astronomy software, 12 years of updates, Retired version, Advanced version available (Luminos Pro), Continued support for existing customers

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent astronomy app
- 🔭 Comprehensive features and information
- 🌌 Beautiful and intuitive interface
- 🔍 Helpful for both beginners and advanced users
- 🌍 Accurate tracking of celestial objects and satellites

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔧 Difficulty configuring for use with telescopes
- 🔒 Concerns about subscription model changes
- 🔍 Steep learning curve for some features
- 🔍 Lack of instructions or user guide

**Reported bugs**

- Motion tracking and compass not working properly
- Saved telescope settings erased after updates
- Slow response times and location detection issues
- Inconsistent behavior when tapping on objects

**Requested features**

- Add historical constellations
- Integrate national borders when searching
- Include exoplanets information
- Improve motion tracking and orientation
- Add observation forecast based on weather conditions


### SkySafari 7 Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-plus/id1567654881)

Explore the cosmos with a powerful space simulator and telescope control. Discover astronomical events, track celestial objects, and plan your stargazing sessions with real-time data and historical simulations.

**Highlights:** Full-featured space simulator, Telescope control (ASCOM Alpaca, INDI), Events Finder for astronomical occurrences, Real-time user observation tracking (OneSky), Guided stargazing sessions (SkyCast), Observation planning and recording tools, Home and Lock Screen widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkySafari Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SkySafari Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Apollo Lunar Missions | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app, preferred over Stellarium
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 👍 Useful 'Tonight' tab
- 👍 Accurate and precise for telescope use
- 👍 Impressive data and functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Constant upgrade spam and notifications
- 🐛 'Tonight' feature crashes on iPad
- 💰 Paid features hidden behind paywall
- 🐛 Crashes when using 'Tonight' feature
- 🐛 Syncing and connectivity issues

**Reported bugs**

- 'Tonight' feature crashes
- App crashes on launch or when using certain features
- Connectivity issues with telescopes
- Syncing problems between devices

**Requested features**

- Add more telescope brands and models
- Improve notification settings to only show relevant events
- Allow hiding of menu bar for cleaner viewing
- Improve font sizes and readability
- Add ability to import observation records from previous versions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Luminos free?

Luminos costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SkySafari 7 Plus free?

SkySafari 7 Plus costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Luminos or SkySafari 7 Plus?

Luminos is rated higher. Luminos averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while SkySafari 7 Plus averages 4.7 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Luminos or SkySafari 7 Plus have ads?

Neither Luminos nor SkySafari 7 Plus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Luminos or SkySafari 7 Plus?

Luminos ships an update every 2 weeks, and SkySafari 7 Plus monthly. Most recently, Luminos was updated on September 25, 2026 and SkySafari 7 Plus 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.*