# Luminos vs SkySafari 7 Pro

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Luminos at 91% against SkySafari 7 Pro's 45%. Luminos also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). SkySafari 7 Pro's advantage is chart position (#65 vs unranked) and price ($17.99 vs $19.99). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Luminos costs $19.99 and SkySafari 7 Pro $17.99 up front. SkySafari 7 Pro sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Luminos asks for nothing beyond the download.

Luminos holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkySafari 7 Pro has 5.4K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Luminos's written reviews are positive against 45% of SkySafari 7 Pro's.

Luminos ships an update every 2 weeks, SkySafari 7 Pro every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Luminos | SkySafari 7 Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **$17.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminos/id404664336/reviews)** | [4.6 (5.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-pro/id1567658979/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | **5.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.6% of reviews** | 45.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#65** |
| Size | 930 MB | 2.4 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 Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-pro/id1567658979)

**Currently charting:** #65 Top Paid · Reference, #196 Top Grossing · Reference (US App Store)

Explore the night sky with an extensive astronomy database and advanced planning tools. Discover astronomical events, control your telescope, and connect with other stargazers in real-time.

**Highlights:** Extensive celestial object database, Advanced event finder, Telescope control (ASCOM Alpaca, INDI, StarSense), Real-time social stargazing (OneSky), Guided sky tours (SkyCast), Observation planning and logging, Home and lock screen widgets

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkySafari Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SkySafari Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| PGC Galaxy Database | Free | one-time |
| GAIA Star Database | Free | one-time |
| Apollo Lunar Missions | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent observational tool
- 🌟 Powerful and indispensable app
- 👍 Great app, easy to use
- 🔭 Wonderful planetarium app
- 💻 Best mobile tool for telescope control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes upon opening
- 🌍 Lack of Southern Hemisphere support
- 🔍 Complicated interface, not user-friendly
- 🔌 Crashes too often
- 💰 Pay even more for additional features

**Reported bugs**

- Free database downloads fail to complete
- Telescope button crashes the app
- Time settings spontaneously reset
- Observing list crashes the app
- Field of view indicators not working

**Requested features**

- Add ability to quickly edit light form
- Allow custom horizon mask input
- Include surface brightness data for extended objects
- Add transit altitude information for objects
- Improve object search with fuzzy matching


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Luminos free?

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

### Is SkySafari 7 Pro free?

SkySafari 7 Pro costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

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

Luminos is rated higher. Luminos averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while SkySafari 7 Pro averages 4.6 from 5.4K ratings.

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

Neither Luminos nor SkySafari 7 Pro shows ads.

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

Luminos ships an update every 2 weeks, and SkySafari 7 Pro every 5 weeks. Most recently, Luminos was updated on September 25, 2026 and SkySafari 7 Pro on September 25, 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.*